Travel after surgery

Hi: I have my surgery scheduled for Jan. 8, 2016. Good news. The bad news, I bought a Disney vacation for my family for Christmas. We fly from Toronto one week after my surgery. Will I be ok to fly? Will I be ok to walk around Disney World for 2 weeks? Will I be a downer for everyone else in my family (husband, son and daughter-in-law, and my grandchildren) because I am too tired, weak, vomiting, etc...?  If I postpone surgery, I cannot get another date until March 22, 2016. If I wait until March, I will lose my job, since I have already been off work since May 2015 for bilateral knee replacement surgery? My husband and son have booked their holidays for the January vacation. Everyone is looking forward to it, except me...now. My grandchildren will be devastated if we do not go. If I change the vacation date, (and if work schedules can be changed) I will loose thousands of dollars in cancellation fees. My question is - "Should I stay or should I go". If anyone has some insight, please reply. Thank you.

A couple of things first, only you know your body and what you are capable of.  How did you feel (in general) after your knee surgery?

I will assume that your family knows of your upcoming WLS and is supportive.  If that's the case I would go on the vacation with them.  I don't think it's realistic for you to think that you will be able to keep up with your family.  You will need to take breaks, maybe even an afternoon nap, but I'm sure your family would rather have you there to enjoy the activities that you can handle.  Talk it over with them....

A week after might be a bit soon for doing the whole Disney World thing but I don't see why you couldn't go down with the family but not necessarily do all the outings with them.  I travelled 3 weeks after surgery and I was fine.

Talk to your surgeon / nurse at your clinic. Do what they say. Also check your travel insurance coverage for healthcare. Please don't underestimate what this surgery encompasses - give your body the best cir****tances for recovery. This is a life changing procedure. I think you should be prepared to stay behind and let the rest of the family go. Not what you want to hear.

you are right. many insurance companies won't cover you if you have been hospitalized 30 days prior to travel. so if some complications came up you would be screwed.

I'd say gonon the trip with your family and make some memories and come back and do your surgery in March when you can focus on you!

One week after surgery is, in my opinion, too soon.  This is a big surgery.  They are re-routing your guts.  And there are possible complications that can arise where you want to be as close to your Centre as possible.  There's also the issue of insurance.  I'm not sure you would be covered if something were to go wrong.  And you don't want to end up paying thousands (or even tens of thousands) of dollars for the American health care system. 

I would also add that you will also be exhausted.  Healing is a lot of work.  I remember needing multiple naps a day for the first two or three weeks.  Plus, you'll only be on fluids at that stage (maybe puree). 

I'm not sure why you would lose your job is you postponed the surgery.  Can they take your job if you have a medically necessary surgery -- even more than one surgery a year...not clear about that. 

I would suggest that, if you cannot postpone your Disney trip, that you postpone your surgery. 

Good luck!

DD

I don't know of a single job in Canada that will terminate you if you have a doctor's note. They don't need to know what the surgery is for, my note simply said "for medical purpose". That said, 1 week is way too soon. The laparoscopic pain in your shoulders can last a few days to a week, and it is simply awful. You may still be on some semi heavy pain meds depending on your age, current overall health, and how long it takes for you to bounce back. I'm sure this is not what you want to hear, but I would postpone the surgery or skip the trip. If a complication arises, you'll want to be close enough to a competent surgeon to fix you up.

On the other hand, I was up and doing housework two days after surgery and working at a desk job six days later.  Disney rents a scooter for about $50 for the day and anyone accompanying the person in the scooter gets to go to the fast line for each ride.  Nothing at Disney is strenuous.  If you don't feel like doing all of the parks just hang out at the pool for that day.

Get in plenty of fluids and try to walk around a bit on the flight.  Make sure you have foods with you that you can eat in the park.  Protein shakes and yogurt are probably sufficient.  I cant think of a better place to relax and recuperate.

I would have been fine to go anywhere a week after surgery but I wouldn't go out of the country.  I'd ask the centre what they think and find out from your travel insurance in case something were to go wrong and you had to go to a doctor, they may not cover it.  Something as simple as an infection of your sutures could send you there and not be covered.  I'd either postpone surgery or let the family go without you, way too many possible things could happen and you'd be out of country and if you are lucky and can get an early flight home, you'd pay premium price and then some.

I was facing a similar situation this year as well.  We booked a Florida rental last winter for Feb/March 2016.  I don't have a booking date yet but I asked about this at my centre and they told me I would need to wait for 6 weeks after the surgery until they would approve travel outside of Canada.  My insurance said that if you have recent surgery, a doctor would need to say that it is safe for you to travel.  

That is definitely not what you want to hear and I truly understand the dilemma.  If it were just my husband and I we would have cancelled so my surgery would not be put further ahead but my kids and grandkids are planning to join us and we don't want to disappoint them.  It is so frustrating.

I probably should be booked in late January.  I really want to get this done as soon as possible but will have to wait til April.  it is not worth jeopardizing insurance coverage.  Check it out and if you can go great, but just be careful.