Describe Your Mesothelioma Surgery Experience

I knew that I would be in the hospital for, you know, at the very least a week. And that I was going to have radiation for five weeks after that. Doctor Cameron said you will probably be in pain for, like, a year. And he said, well, Kim, some patients, when they bend over, they get short of breath. Because I'm probably going to rearrange reconstruct your diaphragm. And so you might have that. You may have coughing. You may have increased flem and secretions. You may have shortness of breath, but you will be able to go back to work. And I said, really. And I said, okay. That sounds great to me. Jeanette came came with me. She stayed in the hospital, and my friend Stacy came. And my husband, Richard, they allowed the three to stay in the hospital room with me. My surgery ended up being about eight hours. I woke up. I remember going in, and I was nervous. You know, I thought, well, what if I don't wake up? Prior to the surgery, had my will taken care of, my trust. I I kind of wrapped up those kind of legal issues. And, When I woke up, I remember thinking, I made it. I made it. I, you know, I knew that as a nurse, that there was a possibility that I I could maybe not make it through surgery, but I remember saying to my cousin who was there. It was the first face that I call. And I said, oh my gosh, Elaine, you're here. I I made it. And really, after that, I thought, well, I don't wanna say I was home free, but I thought, okay. Oh, you're gonna be fine, Kim.