After my thoracotomy, I went looking for real-life details of what was ahead for me in my recovery. I wanted to know if what I was experiencing was anywhere near "normal" for thoracotomy recovery. I wanted the nitty gritty, the week-by-week details.

Here’s a real-life, week-by-week account of thoracotomy recovery -- what pain, fatigue, sleep, and milestones actually looked like in the first three months to three years.