It is good that you qualify for surgery. You want to know how long you will be in hospital, what medications you will receive. You will need a friend or family member to pick you up. Some things will be discovered during surgery. They will test many surrounding lymph nodes and fluids to make sure your cancer is local. If it has moved to fluids or lymph nodes the treatment will continue. I had my Upper Right Lobe removed but they pulled it down and removed it under my arm. Expect to has some nerve pain but there are medications for that. Good luck to you. You will get the most detail after the surgery as they learn so much from tissue and fluid sent to a lab. It isn’t fun but it may very well stop the cancer completely. I continue to have contrast CR scans every 6 months and will do that for years. Depending on your age that may be for the rest of your life. Those scans are easy and always satisfy me. I have no evidence of cancer now. But it can return or you could have another tumor.
Good luck to you. You may loose weight. I lost 25 lbs very fast.

When the surgeon removes your lobe, he/she will remove many lymph nodes, 10 or more, so they can have the lab determine what cannot be determined by scans or biopsy. They learn so much post surgery, sending tissue to the lab immediately. I am glad it is a lower lobe, as they don’t have to take it as far for removal. Vanderbilt is very good too. The team will remove tissue, liquids as well. Tumor cells are small, so the best way to see them is directly. My fingers are crossed that all is negative and you do not require chemo, radiation or immunotherapy. Technology has improved so much, such that patients do better than they did during my parent’s time. Yes the hospital may provide pain meds to you at bedside, as they did for me. Ask about nerve pain. Surgeons sometimes hesitate to say anything negative as they don’t want to scare you. I was tested by scans multiple times while in the hospital to be sure I was ready to be released.
Take care my friend, and best to your team too. The team go into this because they love it and want to save lives. I can’t tell you how happy they are when all goes well.

Along with what Mickeyfin said, when you find out what medications you will be getting, get the details for your pain management. See if there is anything you need to do ahead of time if you will be prescribed narcotics to make sure there is no hold up at the pharmacy or with authorization. Hopefully your hospital has a pharmacy that can get meds to you before you leave like mine did. We had to pay the copays though at that time (they consider it an outpatient pharmacy but they deliver bedside) so good thing my caregiver brought his wallet. Best of luck to you!

Mickeyfin, Thank you for your very detailed post. I’ve gleaned a lot from it! My surgery date is getting closer. I hope I fare as well as you have in your journey! You’re doing great! My diagnosis came at the end of January. As you can imagine, I am ready to get started! My nodule is located on my left lower lobe. I don’t anticipate any lymph node involvement based on my last biopsy. Crossing fingers that is still the case! I will be treated at Vanderbilt. I’m hoping my hospital stay is minimal. I hope all is well with you and I was sorry to read about the loss of your spouse. I am caregiver to mine and nervous about his care while I’m away and during recovery. Take care, Christine ❤️

What are my after care treatments!