Next steps; surgery planned for week of July 10

I'm pleased to report I survived the final chemo treatment with flying colors. It lingered a bit longer than I expected with the typical nausea & fatigue but all in all, it wasn't the worst thing I've ever experienced. That said, I'm not exactly recommending it nor do I wish more in my future.

The good news is I am chemo susceptible which translates into it did what it was suppose to do and that was shrink the tumors / affected lymph nodes. The doctor didn't specify the exact amount of the reduction but both the oncologist and the surgeon concur it did a good enough job to take me to the next step in the process of removing the tumor(s) in my lung via surgery.

The plan as it currently stands is to have surgery to remove the lower lobe of my left lung and the affected lymph's (3 or however many they find once they go in). The surgeon likes to wait six weeks following the last chemo treatment. That puts us into the first / second week of July depending upon the surgeon's schedule. I don't have an exact date but my guess it will most likely occur the week of July 10.

Convalescence from this type of surgery looks like 4 -5 days in the hospital with 60 days to get back to 90 percent. But during this time I should be able to function fairly well and get about my daily routine fairly quickly. They want you up and about, not lying around. So while it will be a gradual recovery, it should prove fairly non invasive from a life hindering debilitation standpoint. At least that's how I'm interpreting it and planning on it to unfold.

In the meantime, I'm continuing to work and will get myself as physically fit as possible in the next 4 weeks to be on top of my physical game when they start carving me up.

I'll have a nice C shape scar on my left side under my arm that wraps around my back I'm told. It should prove a nice match the one on my right hip from last years hip replacement.

After all of this, please let me know if you know any casting directors looking for a middle aged guy for any horror flicks where they're wanting to save a little on scar make-up artist fees. I should fill the bill nicely.
There is also a new iPod docking station holder and GPS they install into your ribcage these days and since the insurance covers most of that, I'll get that new kit too.

My spirits are good and so between now and then will be gearing myself up for this all important next round.