I did the transcervical thymectomy about 9 years ago at Mass General. I don;t know how long the operation lasted, 2 hours sounds about right. I spend one night at the hospital and was sent home. I was walking the same night. Overall the pain was bearable. As a similar poster said, their were no stitches they used superglue or something like that and bandages that were hard at first then after a week they softened and I peeled them off. They did give me a prescription for some kind of pain medicine, but I did OK without any pain medicine when I got home, but did use some tylenol. My neck hurt a bit and the ride home hitting the Potholes in Boston area did hurt, but overall pain was fine. I do have about a 3 to 4 inch scar, but it's so low on my neck that it really isn't that noticable and as time has passed the scar is less noticable. Overall I am much improved from before I had the surgery. I do still have ocular MG and I still take cellcept and occasionally take IVIG. Good luck for your fiancee.