Hi! My surgery is scheduled for June 18th...sleeve with hiatal hernia repair. I am a leader for a youth trip leaving June 23rd for 4 days. It's the beach...only a four hour drive. I'm not required to do anything with the group except make sure they are in the room at night. I need opinions from those who have had surgery. Will I feel like recovering in a hotel room on the beach, 5 days after surgery? Or do I bow out? If recovering at home, I will have my 4 kids (ages 4-14) to take care of while my husband works. Thanks for any input!!

Looking back on my own surgery I would advise you not to go. I returned to work 10 days post op and that still wasn't enough time to fully recuperate.

Even though the surgery is Laparoscopic you will still have five wounds, the biggest of which hurts like the dickens. I took my Tylenol with Codeine 2 times a day every day for 2 weeks because of the main incision site pain. Trust me narcotics make you want to sleep not watch a group of children.

I would also enlist your 14 year old to help out with the younger kids while you recover. You will be having a major surgery and you need to focus on recovering and making sure your Protein and Water intake are high enough.

My advice would also be to stay home. No one can predict exactly how you are going to recover from surgery -- some people would be able to do your trip just fine. But from what I have seen, both being on these boards for a long time, going to my surgeon's support groups, etc., it's much more likely that you are going to be in pain, exhausted, and struggling to get all your fluids in. As for your own kids -- have the fourteen year old help out and consider hiring a caregiver for the first week or so as well if that isn't possible or enough. You are going to be recovering from major surgery -- you don't need to be bedridden but getting some help for family care is a good idea IMO. Good luck to you!

I wouldn't go that soon after surgery. I was Oscar the Grouch until about a 7 - 10 days post. I didn't take weeks off (I went back after 1 week) and I felt fine with that decision. I didn't want to just be laying around my house. Also, it made me move more and just feel a bit more normal.

I agree with the others. I felt fine after surgery. I had very little pain once I got home from the hospital, but I was extremely weak and found it very difficult to get all my liquids in and to walk, which is very important.

Thank you all for your input! I guess I will be sitting out this trip.

Today I'm 5 days post op and trust me I wouldn't go! I'm tired, cranky and it hurts, it's the pulling on incision that makes it hard to change positions from siting to standing and getting in and out of the bed is a torture. If I would be you, I wouldn't go.