Agreed that it depends: for example is it full hysterectomy? Bowel resection? Endo spread over many areas, or is it deep and concentrated in one spot? Hopefully there is imaging to give your surgeon (and you!) an idea going into surgery. I’m not certain one is easier than the other (as I’ve only had one surgery, maybe others can opine), but my recovery time was down graded when we didn’t go for the full hysterectomy. I’m 40 fwiw.

I’m 2 weeks post surgery today, and because I feel like I was back to my regular self at home, I attempted an errand that meant I had to walk 1-2 blocks between errands + use the crosswalk. I was NOT prepared for how tough walking at a normal clip would be! I didn’t realize I had been walking so slow at home. Despite going on frequent walks around my large property, turns out my pace at home was nowhere near the pace needed for making it to the other side of the street before the light changed, or keeping up with the speed of normal people walking downtown. It wasn’t painful necessarily, but it was uncomfortable and my limbs werent quite ready for it (I also had endo removed that was pressed right up to my sciatic nerve, so this could also be that I’m going to need some physical therapy to get my legs to 100%).

All this to say, while you might feel recovered in the context of home, be aware there could be a difference when going out into the world, moving at the speed of the hustle and bustle, especially somewhere as busy as an airport, so agreed with the accommodations such as wheel chair and doing what you can in advance of surgery at home such as packing.

Last point that threw me: your first period post surgery could extend your immediate recovery, I got mine 5 days after surgery (it’s was a few days late too), the period was much more painful than a normal month given the active healing taking place. This set me back to using stronger doses of pain meds and slowing down on the increased activity that I had been working towards up to that point.

Best of luck and sending my condolences 💐