Surgery for lung cancer: What to expect?

Hello @Expired‍, thank you for opening this discussion? I've moved it to our lung cancer treatment group for more visibility. 

Has anyone undergone surgery for lung cancer - to remove a tumor or an affected part of your lung? Can you share your experience? How did you prepare for the procedure? How was your recovery? Do you have any advice?
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Take care,
Courtney

I had my lower left lobe removed in September 2021.  It was stage IIB lung cancer.  The preparation was fast because I didn't know that the tumor was growing.  I was under the care of one doctor but was uncomfortable with his responses to the CT scan and sought a second opinion.  The second opinion suggested immediate surgery as the tumor had grown 30% in the last 4 months.  Before I knew it, I was under the knife and glad to have it out of me.  The recovery was not easy but partly because we didn't have the kit to cut the stitch.  After 6 days pressure builds up inside and if you cut the stitch, it drains out.  By the time we got back to the hospital to have it cut, I suffered for an additional several days.  After that the recovery was easy.  I rested a lot and ate very little.  Due to the fact that the cancer was stage IIB the doctors recommended 4 rounds of chemo.  I am presently going through that now.  I was very scared because I had heard terrible things about chemo.  What I have found out is that there is a pattern - for me- at least.  I get an infusion and feel the discouraging effects for about 2.5 weeks.  Then as I am beginning to feel better, it is time for another infusion.  I have had two so far and have two more remaining.  When I went for the third round, my bone marrow had not recovered enough for me to have a treatment.  So I get an extra week off.   I have learned that the worst of it, for me, is the effect on my emotions.  It does tire me out, but it causes me to be ripped apart inside.  Now that I have the knowledge that there is a pattern, I expect the third treatment will be easier to manage.

I wish you all the best.  I am doing this in the hope that whatever cancer cells may have slipped through the surgery will be killed off by the chemo.  I am hoping to avoid having to go through this again.

I had upper left lung tumor out with radiation and biospy