Hello Karen,
I had an upper right lobectomy in July of 2005. I also was very scared, no more like terrified. I know that I was given an epidural, I guess that helped with pain. I had this little pain machine on my bed rail and I could push the button to get some pain medication if the pain got too bad. I was up walking the hospital corridor the very next morning. I did not have much of an appetite and then I started to eat because I think my doctor thought something was wrong with me because I was not eating. I was in the hospital for 9 days. I do not know why I was there so long. My doctor I think is just one of those conservatively cautios surgeons. My pain came from the sugical incision healing. I took pain medication for that and it did help alot. I started to take Aleve after a while because the pain medication did constipate me. I did have trouble reaching for things and I found that I walked very slowly. I went back to work at the end of August teaching high school. This surgery is doable. Hey ya gotta do what ya gotta do. I hope and pray that all goes well with your mother.
Carol