Newly diagnosed surgery within the month

Hi Mark

I had VATS surgery in May last year and spent a week in hospital as the result of a mild chest infection. I had a chest drain, lots of medication to keep the pain/discomfort at a minimum. It’s important to have the meds as coughing is important. I got up and started walking on the same day and doing the breathing exercises. 
After going home I was given more meds to keep me going and made an appointment with my GP for a review so I could have my stitches out. I also arranged for more morphine and paracetamol. I also had some atrial fibrillation as a result of the infection (and powerful antibiotics). My GP checked my heart beat and I then stopped taking the medication for the AF. I bought myself a triangular pillow to prop me up for sleeping on my back. Roy Castle website has downloadable booklets about Lobectomy operations, which I found very helpful. The people here and Roy Castle site are very helpful and supportive.

I found it better to take everything one step at a time and deal with the current challenges. Sleep hypnosis and keeping my mind busy was helpful to me. I kept away from the “what ifs”. I began to reduce the morphine after about a week and a half at home by reducing the daytime doses first. Be kind to yourself and rest when you need to. I started by taking 4 very short walks daily and gradually increased the time and the speed to begin to improve my fitness and breathing.

I hope your procedure goes well and wishing you all the best, Daisychain xx

Hello Mark

I had my lower right lobe removed and top segment, two cancers in the bin. The plan was two segments but my surgeon wasn’t happy with the margins on the lower lobe so he went back in so my two hour op turned to four hours. My blood pressure dropped so I needed critical care. So I didn’t have physio or much exercise I was pain free with drugs.  

I was still home in six days and I have been improving steadily I rest when I need to and eat as healthy as I can my bowel is still recovering from a reversal

Pain wise I managed on paracetamol, ibuprofen and hospital prescribed codeine  

I have to be very aware of causing bowel issues with pain meds now.  If I didn’t have that I would have taken everything available 

I bought myself a little nebuliser as my nurse said it was okay. I found that really beneficial in the first few days. I am now able to do some deep breathing exercises three times a day 

I wish you well. 
Keep us updated 

Hi Artsie,

thanks for sharing your experience. I hope you are keeping well.
Since my diagnosis I think I’ve been in the panic/confusion/drowning mode. I am waiting for the various support groups I was told would contact me to get in touch. Work has been a great help but that has stopped from today so I can get my blood pressure down to an acceptable level from 172/113.  I am already on verapamil for cluster headaches so it should make my BP lower but it’s not and surgery won’t go ahead with a BP that high.

work is probably a factor pushing up the BP. Supporting a young man on the spectrum who has challenging behaviour can be stressful but I can’t wait to return to it. The thought of being away from work for an extended period is unsettling me. 

your comments about the meds is very welcome. I have to watch what I shove down my throat because of bowel issues.

mark

Hi Daisychain,thanks for reaching out. I hope you you are keeping well.

I am expecting the call from the hospital to go in in the next 2 weeks.

the post op recovery period is the part I am most worried about, not working, just getting about and how do I sleep.

the triangle pillow sounds like it may be good for me. I can’t lie flat on my back as I start to lose feeling in my feet due to 3 prolapsed vertebrae.

getting out and about and moving around the house is a concern. We live in a maisonette flat so I have to climb stairs to the front door and go upstairs to bedroom and bathroom. We have a garden so I can take walks around that. The glen, the public park and high street are all 5 to 10 minutes walk from house as are some wee shops so I can plan a gradually increasing walk aiming to reach Pittencrief park unaided.

I hope they won’t use fentanyl as I had a very bad time with that after a bronchoscopy.

keep well

mark

Hi Mark,

You're getting a bigger lobe removed than I had (mine was lower right) but here goes anyway. You've already had some very good advice, I agree with it all.

You're unlikely to go home before the drain tube is removed and it's better to go home without it. That will be a few days while they look after your recovery, and they'll get you up on your feet and walking (accompanied) along a corridor pretty much straight away. By the time I got home I was able to get up a flight of stairs but had to stop and recover at the top before carrying on. You can expect similar: perfectly doable but it knocks your stuffing out. Having to get up some stairs is a good thing, it'll get you recovered sooner. When you're ready after a day or so when you're at the top try going down and back up again.

I slept lying on the side that hadn't been operated on, and arranged my pillows to make that comfiest. It seemed to work, I woke up in the morning still on my side. I think my subconscious was still at work keeping me safe even while I was spark out - normally I never wake up in the same position I fell asleep.

The wound will probably weep just a little bit for some days until it completely seals up, so wear something to absorb that to save your sheets at night. Putting a wound dressing on will hinder it drying and sealing, better to let it breathe.

Good luck, you'll be fine.

kind regards,
Steve

We live in a ground floor flat. Just take it easy as you should be able to go up and downstairs slowly. It also happens to be very good exercise . I found it a real relief to be home with normal clothes, normal food and able to relax. Just take it one step at a time and any problems just give the nurses at the hospital a call (or McMillan). 
I still sleep on my left side as I find sleeping on the operation side uncomfortable. Your body does adapt.

Good luck