The surgeon's technique will make a difference. Some will have you under for 8 hours. Others are all done in 3 or 4. That's a big difference in recovering from anesthesia, which was a biggie for me.
Some people had horrible pain. I had horrible back pain which turned out to be bruising from being on the operating table for so long, but pain in my surgical area was not terrible. Morphine helped with the worst parts. It's good to be able to keep your mind off of things. I had a laptop computer that could play DVDs, and I made sure I had a lot of material to keep my mind off of things. (Today I would load up a tablet with TV shows, movies, and games.)
I was in the hospital for 6 days post. I did not get out of bed for that time. Then they removed the catheter, bandages and packing and helped me out of bed to go pee.
After that I was in a hotel a block away. I was a bit wobbly and just standing was difficult. But oh did that first shower feel so good! Still, getting around was a workout. When I finally walked that long block to the clinic, I could barely manage. Some days just getting dressed and downstairs to the hotel restaurant was a chore. They give you a donut to sit on because the tender parts are very tender. By 2 weeks post I was able to amble a bit around town and seek out better food. Eat protein! (If you go to Thailand and like hot food, the street vendors can be fantastic. Get a recommendation if you can. Other cities and countries will have their own offerings.)
I flew home after 3 weeks. The flight was long. Some try to dilate during the flight to keep with schedule, but I didn't. The nurses said the awkwardness of the airplane bathroom plus unsanitary conditions were plenty reason to just hold off. It was enough just to get through flight. I just tried to dope myself up to sleep as much as I could through it. When I landed, a wonderful dear friend I made in Thailand and who had flown back home the week earlier met me in the airport and wheeled me around during my layover. In fact, I opted for wheelchair service throughout the trip. Don't try to be a hero and walk. Use the wheelchair service (and tip your "drivers"). There was no way I would have been able to stand in security and customs lines. You also get through those procedures quicker.
By a month later, I was up and about and while not anywhere near fully recovered, I could get around about as well as if I was recovering from a nasty week-long flu. No heavy lifting, but I could sit up all day and do things like vacuum and walk around the grocery store without needing a nap after.
I kept using the donut for a couple of months, but at a certain point it became more comfy to sit without it. (Favoring one hip then the other helps on that score.)
Do yourself a favor: Journal EVERYTHING. This is a profound experience and while you'll never forget it, details will fade. I wish I wrote more down. The night before surgery, the half hour before they are going to take you to the OR, the thoughts after you wake up (and can actually write something), the experience of removing the packing, the first time you see yourself after bandages are removed, the first time you stand naked before a full-length mirror, so many firsts! It's a rebirth, or at least it was for me.
Wishing you all the best!
