@mmga
How horrendous. Please tell your primary you cannot see that surgeon again after such treatment but you need someone to see for follow up visits.

My journey:
I had my left lower lobe removed for a Stage 0-1, 14mm Adenocarcinoma in 2023. I stayed in hospital a few days before they yanked the chest tube and sent me home. But I still had massive drainage so i refused to leave until I had a case worker and documentation of the condition I was leaving in. . I couldn't reach the wound, so asked home health to come change my dressing.

I don't do narcotics and can’t take Ibuprofen. Gabapentin was worthless. So I finally convinced them to give me old fashioned Flexoril - a muscle relaxant and that was the only reason I got some sleep.

To this day I have excursion pain when I take a deep breath. Prednisone - which i rarely take for RA Flares - is the only drug that eliminates the rib pain. That would suggest it is inflammation pain. It is more background pain now but is never gone.

So even under good circumstances it is still a journey with ups and downs. Get a good doc you have confidence in and don’t give up until you do.

Best wishes. Post when you need a shoulder or just to vent.