This surgery is a test...for you having the guts to get it and for those who know about it: how they are going to deal with you?
Ignorance of this operation is a given unless they have extensive medical training or have had experience personally or with someone they are involved with.
Ignorance is easily forgiven and remedied.
Cruelty and outright disrespect are another thing. Sometimes something like this surfaces what has been hidden all along. Having you along leveraged their ego, made them feel superior. Now you are looking better than them, (in their neurotic mind), and their tool is broken. They've switched places and don't like it. Apparently the affection that you thought they had for you was phony. It was only skin plus a fat layer deep.
If you have friends that rode this out with you and still love you...you have real friends.