Hi Nancy- I just wanted to let you know that I am 3 1/2 weeks post op after my LUL segmentectomy and a lingular wedge for adenocarcinoma. My surgeon used the Robotic assisted method. It is easier and faster to recover from. I also read a lot about these surgeries and scared the heck out of me. I thought I was going to be in horrible pain, in bed, etc. I was also afraid of the same thing, not being able to breathe. Neither case was true! They had me up walking the second day, still with chest tube in and catheter! Moving afterward is the key. If your not very mobile now, get moving if possible. Use an inspirometer, lung exerciser. My pulmonologist told me to double what I was walking to exercise my lungs and heart.
But, for a different choice, my Aunt who was 77 at the time, had the SBRT for hers, which was in the lower lung. She said it was so easy! 5 days at 30 minutes a day, and done. She is now 82, and all of her CT and PET scans have been clear since. What my surgeon told me was that if you can have surgery to get it out, you should do it. The reason being, if another one comes up later, you may not be able to have surgery at that time because of lung function or heart condition. Hopefully this will help you.
Best wishes, Cindy