I actually started my period the morning of my surgery. They wouldn't let me use a tampon or wear my own underwear, but they did have me wear the meshy ones that they give you when you have a baby. When I woke up, the underwear were long gone, but they had me lying on one of those disposable pads (I don't know what they're called but they remind me of the pads that you lay on your floor to housebreak puppies... LOL). I also had a maxi pad between my legs, and to be honest, I moved so little that it stayed right in place, even without underwear holding it there.
Sounds like each doctor has a different way of handling it, based on the replies to your question. But, like someone else said, you can be sure that it isn't the first time that your doctor has come across this. If you are able to call the doctor's office and ask how he would prefer for you to handle it, then you can be prepared with grungy underwear, a tampon, or nothing at all, depending on what he wants you to do.
Here's a suggestion that I have for you, though, for after you come home. If you don't keep maxi pads on hand, buy yourself some. You won't feel like "contorting your body" the way that you need to in order to insert a tampon for a few days. Regardless of how much you might hate using pads (if that's the case), you'll be glad to be prepared in this case.