I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that, Chicka. Of course thoracic surgery is changing by leaps and bounds so I'd have to do some reading up on it.
Are they doing an invasive procedure? Meaning are they going to be cutting through your sternum? Or are they accessing through an artery through your groin?
You will be talking to your anesthesiologist before the procedures also. Make a list of questions for them and for the surgeon when you talk to him again. Do you have access to the surgeons nurse? If you do, call her. Trust me, she won't mind talking to you and answering your questions. It's part of her job and no, there are no silly questions.
I had my gall bladder and appendix out in 1986. I know all about the pillow stuff. Yeah, right. They talked it up in nurses training. Ain't worth carp. It hurts when you cough and the pillow just gives you something to hang onto until the burning agony eases up enough that you can breathe and stop crying.
Plus they will have pain meds on board. Possibly an IV with a trigger morphine drip for you to use?
Make a list of anything and everything that you can think of to ask them and keep it with you. This is your body, and your right to know.