Having lobectomy tuesday aug 6---so confused. nobody answering my ???

I had my upper right lobe removed 5 1/2 years ago at age 73. It was easy-peasy!!! No trouble at all and went home in two days. The tumor was about the size of a golf ball and just small enough that I didn’t even need chemo. I hope that will be your situation. I have had no issues since then but get an ultrasound once a year.

Sorry you are troubled. I am sure you will do well with only one big regret that being you spent a lot of your time worrying and not just living life.

Just trust your doc in terms of the surgery. You can’t manage that and you have things you need to care and plan for.
A thoracotomy is just the surgical procedure to cut through ribs and pleura and access the lung in order to remove the section of lung (the lobe) they are after. You had a collapsed lung before as part of biopsy if i understood correctly so they will do a lobectomy . Both right and left lungs have something similar to seams dividing each lung into lobes - making it easier take out the part with a tumor in it. And they always take a number of nodes that may or may not be negative. They test them to reveal whether the cancer is moving to other areas.

When i had a lobectomy I was discharged on day 4’when they could remove the tube draining fluids. I would just ask nurse to clarify expected discharge and whether they are sending you home with the drain still in place.

I would suggest you tell nurse you need a Case Manager to help obtain approval for help for a few days to help with bandaging and . The case manager can also refer you to organizations that can help with food and transportation.

That's about all I can offer. Fight for a case manager - otherwise you cant get there and back so won’t be able to have the surgery. And make sure they know you have no one to help at all.

Finding someone to help with your animal is on you. Good luck.

Hi, I had a robotic lobectomy (left lower lobe) on 9/20/2023. I was lucky that my lymph nodes were negative, so no chemo or radiation. No complications at all, and was out of the hospital after one day. Although I had my husband and some of my kids at home to help, I did not need any help. We didn’t know how I would be feeling, or if I would need the help. My only side effect was a constant cough, but they want you to cough afterwards. No pain coughing, which was a blessing. Now I go for a CT scan every 6 months for the next 3 years. I definitely consider myself blessed!
Best of luck to you! I am sure your surgery will be successful!

@julie67 , Having surgery under any circumstances is extremely stressful. What you are feeling isn't unusual, but it is heightened due to your life situation. Pam's advice is good. A case manager may be able to help. Depending on the hospital policy, you may not be assigned a case manage until you are admitted. That team may not be under the same umbrella as the surgeon's office.
Wishing you the best tomorrow, I'll be thinking of you.

Welcome to Mayo Connect @lornal, thanks for jumping right in and helping! It's encouraging to hear of your successful surgery. Wishing you many more years of clear ultrasounds!

I know it’s difficult not to worry. It’s good that nodules not cancerous. Full lobe removal is prudent. Usually 2-3 days in hospital post surgery. Pls talk to hospital social worker who can arrange all types of assistance, including transportation and home help. (I do not think that hospital will release you without appropriate post op care.)

My husband’s thoracic surgeon did full left lower Lobectomy for his tumor. He stayed in hospital only 2 nights. He saw oncologist after surgery, he did 4 rounds of chemo, and now doing immunotherapy.

I know it’s happening so fast, but be glad that your surgery is scheduled right away. In hospital walk asap, and do spirometer for breathing. It’s also great that oncology is advanced now to help prevent and monitor for any future pesky cancer.

BEST WISHES. LET US INOW HOW YOU’RE DOING. IT HELPS.

Wow! I am pea green with envy. I didn't have robotic surgery and also had clean margins and nodes. But I had copius drainage after they removed the chest tube and even after they sent me home. So i really needed some help for a few days to change my dressing because i couldn't quite reach it.

Everyone has a different experience -

@julie67, even with the continuing wonderful advances in lung cancer detection and treatment, it's not an exact science. Those CAT scan images are pretty fuzzy, and PET scans are designed to show sugar absorption. None of those images are crystal clear, so your doctors won't really know what you've got until they see it.

My tumor was a little bigger than they thought and closer to the bottom of my right upper lung lobe. I had robotic surgery and went home two days later. No problems there. Unfortunately, the cut line showed cancer cells, plus a nearby lymph node had also been infected, so I had chemo and radiation simultaneously. Still didn't miss a single day of my desk day job until I got laid off the same day as my third round of chemo. But that's another story.

I was a little stiff after the surgery, but I didn't much notice even that after a month. I know it's a whirlwind, but quickly removing the cancer is your best chance for survival. Best of luck!

How are you feeling today?

Good to see your post. Hope you are both well.