Just some thoughts I had based on my personal experiences with what my SRS and recovery is like. I decided I want to share my viewpoint as someone who has gone through with it so that those who have not can hopefully be well prepared and know what to expect. So here goes....
1.) You'll have quite a bit of pain and discomfort afterwards and need to be off your feet a lot. Make sure you're up for it.... prepare yourself however you can. Your surgeon will give you pain pills that will help a lot after the first few days, and when your supply runs out you may want to go to your GP to see about getting some more. Even with meds, the discomfort will get old long before it ends. Just remind yourself: it's only discomfort, it's temporary, it's to be expected and not indicative of a problem, and in time it'll go away completely. You'll have good days and bad days, but each week will be easier than the one before. Also, if you have a job you'll have to go back to work while you're still sore, which will take a lot out of you. Even a trip to the grocery store can be very taxing. Because you'll be bedridden for a while, you'll be weak when you do start getting up, you'll feel exhausted a lot, and you may find you've lost or gained weight. Also don't take for granted your mobility, because you'll be less mobile than you think. If you have a return flight, don't count on being able to walk through the entire airport unless you've already established beforehand what your limits are; airports have wheelchair service so you'll have that option available to you.
2.) It's worth the pain and then some! You will be amazed how much better it is having had this done, particularly once you are healed up enough to get to know the new you by touch. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it's way more awesome than I can put into words. You'll also find that you're capable of much greater levels of pleasant sensation.
3.) For those who are squeamish about being cut into in that particular area, I can assure you there really isn't reason to be. After all is said and done it's the same as having an injury on any other part of your body. You'll want to baby yourself for a while (which you should!) but the pain isn't any more awful than if you sprain your ankle or throw out your back.
4.) You're going to realize that you've lost something, though hopefully nothing more than a plaything. Before you decide to have SRS, weigh your feelings on this. Are you disgusted by what you have, and if so does that disgust outweigh any enjoyment you might be getting from it? Or alternatively, does your desire to have a smooth feminine contour sans bulge outweigh the security of knowing that at least for now you're capable of pleasure? Know that if you have that ability now you'll almost certainly have the ability to enjoy much more afterwards.
5.) Don't let dilation intimidate you; by the time the packing is removed you'll have healed more than enough and it won't be nearly as painful as you're probably imagining. Also keep in mind that human skin is much more resilient than you think, so don't stress over having to apply a lot of pressure because the incisions will hold very well. Be very diligent with your dilation! Do it more often and for longer than your surgeon recommends, and don't let sleepiness, social life, infection, post-surgical complications, pain, injury, illness, depression, chores, personal obligations, lost luggage, political unrest, incarceration, coma, UFO abductions, television, intoxication, or "I don't feel like it" be excuses. Find a way to either limit your work schedule or take a long enough break in the middle of each day to squeeze in a brief dilation - if your job doesn't accommodate you on this then you *will* have difficulty maintaining your depth and width. Dilate every night before bed and set your alarm early enough to give you time to dilate every morning, and on your days off make up for lost time by doing it more often. Never go half a day without dilating or you'll have a difficult session when you finally do dilate.
(If you have a long flight home then you may not be able to avoid waiting 20+ hours to dilate, but definitely do it just before you check out of the hotel and again the moment you step into your home. If you can arrange a long enough layover on the return flight then you can take the extra time to dilate in a restroom.)
6.) Absolutely do not settle for the lowest bidder. This doesn't mean you have to go to the most expensive surgeon; if you are willing to travel, there are some very competent ones who are much more affordable than, say, the North American surgeons (I don't know anything about surgeons in Europe or Australia so can't really comment if that's where you live). Find out who is the best surgeon for you - don't take my or anyone else's word for it. Do a lot of research. Remember, your new acquisition will be yours for the rest of your life and there are no do-overs, so make sure you are satisfied with your surgeon's technique, typical results, and risks of complications. Also ask your surgeon all your questions. Don't let them gloss over the things you care about; not every doctor has a great bedside manner so you should make sure to get enough answers to meet your satisfaction.
7.) Make sure you have loose clothes to wear while you're recovering. This is especially important for your undergarments. If you wear tight panties now so that tucking can be more effective, go out before your surgery and buy a dozen or more pairs that are one or two sizes larger. Once you've nothing to tuck, tight underwear will press uncomfortably against your surgical site. You'll also be wearing a maxi pad most of the time for a while, and that will take away from the amount of space thereby increasing the pressure and worsening your discomfort.
The standard disclaimers apply: IANAD, YMMV, unsolicited advice - accept at your own risk.
