What have other people done regarding telling elderly parents of upcoming surgery?

My surgery date is 12-9-02. I have not yet told my parents. My father has congestive heart failure and is functioning with only 10% of his heart. My mother is in early stages of Alzheimers. The slightest things upset my father terribly, and I'm concerned that he would literally worry himself sick. My mom just wouldn't understand, but she would worry too - just because the hospital is involved. I have enough family support that I think I could be absent from their lives for a week without causing too much alarm. Any ideas?

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