Hi there! I had adenocarcinoma in my Left upper lung. About the same size as yours. I also have other nodules but they are, so far, just nodules. I had my VATS at Mayo in Phoenix on May 24, 2023. I was also so very scared! I didn’t have a clue about how I would be when I woke up. Would I be able to breath? Would I have to be on oxygen the rest of my life? Etc. All normal worries! I woke up just fine. A little tiny bit hoarse but could still talk just fine. That was from the breathing tube during surgery. I did have the chest tube and catheter. I will tell you that I had a bad pain that would go down the back of my arm and we figured out that the chest tube was causing it. That just required adjusting the position I was laying in to help that. When Sitting up or walking it didn’t bother me. Anyway, I was starving! But couldn’t have anything but liquids the entire day. The BEST thing to me was waking up to my husband and grown Son being there. Then realizing I could breathe and then talking and every little thing after. I walked and walked as much as they would let me. Went home on the 3rd day. I had things already bought and set up before I left for the surgery. A table to go over my bed, to eat on. I actually already had an adjustable bed, so that was AWESOME because it is a little difficult to get out of bed and trying not to put pressure on your chest and arms. You can always just use LOTS of pillows! They gave me Tramadol and Lyrica to take at home for pain. The Tramadol I only took twice a day for a week and cut down and off of after the second week, and the Lyrica was two times a day then cut down to 1 a day for another week and then just Tylenol or ibuprofen. Now, EVERY ONE IS DIFFERENT! Some have pain longer but I feel I was lucky. Always check with your Doctor on what you feel you want or need to do! I also forced myself to walk, and walk a lot. We have stairs in my house and I did those too. Slowly, of course, but it gets easy pretty quickly. I was walking a mile within the first week. If you’re doing something and you feel pain, stop doing it or do it slower. Not a race to get better. But whatever you do, try to walk as much as possible afterwards. I am now at just close to 8 months post op and I just bought an in home, cheap exercise bike and have been riding it for 30 minutes a day which works out to about 5 miles a day, plus my mile walk at night and working full time. I still have the tingly feeling in the nerve at the front bottom of my ribs, but only when I touch it. I did not have to have Chemotherapy or radiation or anything after or before surgery. Hoping this helps and hoping the best for your surgery and the speediest of recovery for you! Just know that being scared is normal! Talking about it and talking with people on this group helped tremendously!
All the best to you!
Cindy