Agree about the spirometers, the nurses will drive you nuts fussing that they need to see you using it because the doctors say that it needs to be done. If its on Drs orders they expect that you are going to do it. Had a collapse, following the 15th ab surgery, in 2009, fluid also built up and had to have it drained, that hurt like the dickens, not asleep during the cut and the tube insertion. Never understood why I had a collapsed lung when it was surgery on my small intestines with no thoracic involvement. Don't have asthma or ay other lung problems.

I'd say that Surgeon stone has the best advice, BoSox went through this, as he said, I remember feeling for him when he was trying to post and the ribs were hurting badly. Don't push to get back out quickly, heal up and listen to the surgeon that has your case.

Bill