I'm about one year post rib resection via vats with chest tube. The only thing that got better for me was the color of my arm (venous tos). The pain following my surgery was worse than before. I was diagnosed with rsd or crps type 2. It sucks. To this day I still wonder if it was a failed surgery or truly crps or both. I seem to have symptoms of both. I have old symptoms neck face upper back arm and hand pain with swelling and color changes (purple to red to splotchy) along with shooting nerve pain sensitivity to touch to my chest and underarm and cold hand. Bee sting sensations to hot pokers, heavy achy feeling like golf balls moving through my veins with odd sensations to top side of my head. My back especially under my shoulder blade is always sore with muscle spasms/atrophy. Vision changes on bad days, etc. Good luck on your journey, the mind has a huge place in how well your recovery goes, sadly you ll probably never be the same. Physical therapy, massage, heat etc is very important because in my case I lost use of my hand by not using it due to the extreme amount of pain after surgery. If you have any questions feel free to ask. Don't try and rush your recovery it takes a long time.