Welcome Tami,
I also was staged 3A. Like you I did not know anymone with lung cancer nor did meet anyone while I was in chemo or radiation who had lung cancer. One thing I can tell you is to be patient with yourself. My surgeon told me that it would take two years to completely heal. I think it takes longer. My surgery was in Junly, 2005. The right side of my chest still feels numb and heavy at times. I guess I have learned to live with it because it does not bother me anymore. The one thing that I have learned NOT to do is to throw my arm over the seat as I back out of a parking space. For some reason that causes spasms on my right side to this day. You learn to adjust. Be kind to yourself and be patient with yourself.
Carol