Well the date is getting closer and sleep is getting harder to find. Jan 11 is just 7 days away. I am now in panic mode trying to get everything ready at home and get a few things I might need in the hospital.

Very nervous about how long I will have to be in st Louis away from my family but hopefully will recover quickly. I am at the point that I definately feel I am making the right decision. The pain the last month has been awful and the thought of an end in sight makes the pain bearable

Hope everybody else that has had surgery recently is doing well. Saying my prayers for everyone.

Me! I had both sides done at once less than 24 hours ago and I'm feeling pretty good. I had 2 collapsed lungs but I'm breathing easy. Pain relief is adequate and all in all I'm in good shape. Also- my hands are warm!!!

Awesome, so what caused the collapse lungs? Glad you are feeling pretty good, and warm.

It's a relatively common risk of this kind of surgery because the membrane (?) that protects the lungs is so thin. But it's an easy fix to reinflate, I've just been told it can make breathing difficult. Regardless, I can honestly say that my pain is under control and I feel better than I did pre-op and I've gotten both sides done at once. Just take it easy. I've found that too much exertion= extreme nausea and too little movement=difficulty breathing. So take it easy, but don't be a vegetable! It's been less than 24 hours since I've gotten out of surgery and here I am, typing, surfing the web, and I can get up to the bathroom without much inconvenience. :-) This can be a good thing!

Only a couple more days. Surgery is scheduled for Friday at 12:30. Have two appointments on Thursday for preop, so we are headed to St. Louis tomorrow night. Time has flown by, and it seems like this is sneaking up on me quick.

I think I am ready at this point, and have done all that I can do to prepare for both my family and myself. So now it is just a waiting game

I wish you all the best - I had Bilateral Rib Resection surgeries Dec 3 & 5 2012, they did the right side first then the left side, was in hospital five days total. Recovery was a lot smoother than I expected, now over one month and doing quite well although some pain still, particularly in elbows, surgeon expects all was successful and will subside. We will see.

Glad to hear you are doing well. Can you tell us who did your surgery? Thanks

Good luck on your surgery TellerMom. Wish you all the best. Please report back here when you're able to let us know how you're doing. Thanks.

My surgery was done in Kelowna, BC, Canada by Dr. Bill Nelems, he is very well respected by all the local medical community and from what I understand is regarded as one of the best thoracic surgeons in North America. I believe he is one of only 2 doctors in all of Canada that do this surgery and the other is on the other side of the country in Toronto, so I am lucky to live right here.

Other than the arm/elbow pain, I do have some ocasional pain between my shoulder blades, what the surgeon refers to as "noise" but for the most part if I am careful about what I am doing it is pretty good. A lot better than I expected. He gave me the go ahead last week to start yoga classes and exercising and physio. Did my first yoga class the other day and that was a reality check - had to really modify poses and take it easy, still a long ways to go, but it felt really good to get out and do it.

Hopefully that pain resolves. Can you tell us where the scar from surgery is? Did they remove the scalenes or just leave them there? Thanks.