I did not think it all was that bad. I had surgery in the morning. The next morning three people got me on my feet to walk. It did not hurt if I did not move....but you have to move. Of course, you are sore on that side, so you are careful how you move. VAT surgery consisted of three incisions on side. They want you to cough to clear lungs and that would hurt, but you are given meds for the pain. I could have gone home after one night but since I was 80 and feeling a little weak, I stayed a second night. That night my Oxygen levels went too low, and I was sent home with night oxygen for three months. So I went home after two nights and was independent at home. I stopped pain meds in 5 days after surgery. I was driving in one week. They said not to vacuum for two weeks but that was hardly a problem!
Unfortunately, I caught Covid 4 weeks after surgery. I don't know how since I really isolated myself and always wore an N95 mask. I developed a congested cough, got tested and bingo, positive for Covid. They gave me an antiviral and it cleared up the cough right away. But Covid certainly slowed my recovery as far as feeling up to speed.

As far as tests to expect at Mayo, they wanted a lung function test and a night O2 oximeter test, but I had already done them week before my appointment so did not have to redo. They gave me a surgery date three weeks out. I did another CT scan the day before the surgery. That served as a base for them and for the surgery. Their radiologists are specialized in identifying lung nodules.
Let us know how it goes.