Good to think through the process before hand. I think you missed a crucial one, which never occurred to me before my “elective” two level spinal fusion. You need to come up with a detailed post surgical recovery plan which includes ALL pre-surgical preparations.

When you have surgery on your torso, like spinal or hernia procedures, you need to learn how to get out of bed, theoretically before they will release you from the hospital. For my surgery this was called the “log roll” and was agonizing and frightening to learn in a pain and opioid post surgery fog. This would have been ten times easier to practice and commit to muscle memory before the knife. Each type of surgery will likely entail such preparations for home recovery. You need to prepare for opioid induced constipation, which can be considerable and can bounce you back to the ER. You need to prepare your home recovery room, your route to the bathroom, the meal prep and domestic help to pick up the slack your diminished capacity will leave.

You need to have a home nursing plan. A spouse may be prepared to serve as advocate but not so able to help with wound dressings, late hour medications, fluid intake. toileting and other “routine” nursing tasks.

Perhaps most importantly, you need to secure a 24/7 rock solid communication link with your surgical team. I had excruciating nerve pain at night for a week after surgery, the onset of which came on a Friday night. Even during the week it was difficult to contact the surgeon’s Medical Assistant, and effectively impossible on weekends. Even when I could make contact I felt like I was imposing on their valuable time. Surgeons often feel their work is done when the sutures and stitches are in place, bur your real challenge is just beginning. You can’t be too prepared.