Yes thank you for bringing this up tons cheaper! Like we had 4 days basically for the price of one going through medstay. Highly recommend! And that’s for anyone traveling to anywhere for surgery not just where I went.
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Make sure you call medstay at the message @Isaiah_40_31 reposted below very helpful! I flew from FL too and I had surgery on a Friday stayed overnight at hospital stayed another night in hotel and flew back on Monday. I had to because my husband had to get back to work. It was a bit much to do so quickly. But did ask and was able to receive assistance at the airport.
I also checked that on my ticket for the airline in advance. Was glad I did as they put me in a wheel chair and zoomed me around. I felt very light headed so this was best for me. I also had an ice pack that they gave me that wrapped around my head that I got after surgery at the hospital that I could refill ice with. (Best thing ever please be sure to ask for that!) so I had the person helping me at the airport refill with ice do once i got through tsa so I had it for the flight. again everyone was so very accommodating and helpful and I was super appreciative.
It is all very overwhelming I totally get it. I made a huge move across the US 2 months before my surgery only to arrive and have Hurricane Ian hit us directly 5 days after we closed on our house. I almost postponed the surgery because I was just upside down and beside myself with everything but ended up just doing it because I realize there is never going to be a good time for surgery honestly.
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Having a wheelchair to transport you around a large airport, especially if there’s a quick turn around between surgery & travel is a godsend. You must ask your airline for it ahead of the flight, not once you get to the airport.
I just experienced the benefits of a wheelchair w/ @Violin in Denver last week. Without a wheelchair, we would have never made our flight as the distance we had to travel on foot w/in the airport would have been insurmountable for her. Another advantage of a wheelchair is a quicker trip through security lines & very early boarding on the plane. If flying SW Airlines, a wheelchair allows you to jump the queue even if your boarding number is in the C range. I was able to board w/ her as her helper/companion.
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SpringHill Suites Durham Chapel Hill by Marriott. Last year it was 100 usd/night (need to ask for a medical discount at the counter or when booking over the phone, in person) including all-you-can-eat breakfast.
The rooms are not too bad, but some of them have a bit of funny smell (mold? Sweat?). The staff was wonderful, I changed the rooms multiple times (to get a walk-in shower, to have quieter aircon etc.)
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Praying for peace for you and for all the arrangements to go smoothly, you’ve alot on your plate 
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My first Surgery was the day before the Hurricane hit… but I was outpatient from Jacksonville…
How do I get special accomodation from Airline? Do i have to pay extra for that? Wheelchair and such? I am on a VERY tight income right now!!!
Thank you!! It keeps me on my toes, for sure!!!
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Sounds like our timing was impeccable, not. Lol. Sorry just trying to be a little light about the situation as much as possible. 
For the airline when you check in for your flight it will ask you if you need special accommodations and you check yes. No extra charge for it my friend.
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LoL perfect timing, literally… and here I go again, right in time for Hurricane Season, again 
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I have had over a dozen big surgeries as well as countless smaller procedures requiring sedation. Every single time (outside of emergency surgeries), it went like this (with small variations):
- You arrive at the hospital or surgery center early in the morning (oftentimes before 6am - they usually call you the night prior to tell you what time to arrive).
- You are taken to your pre-op room and a nurse comes in to help you get undressed and into a gown, then places an IV and starts fluids/prophylactic antibiotics (in some cases) and so on. If you are generally on medications that they did not want you taking orally before surgery, you can ask at this time about being given those meds. They might administer them IV.
- You spend some time relaxing and waiting your turn for surgery. Your loved one/ride will be able to come back after all of the aforementioned steps (once you are in a gown, have an IV and settled) and sit with you until it’s time for the OR.
- The surgeon comes in to touch base with you, asks you questions like “what surgery are you here for today?” “do you understand what we are doing this for?” and then goes over the risks and asks if you have any question.
- The anesthesiologist comes into your room and talks to you, asking questions and letting you ask questions as well (this is when it’s great to tell them if you’ve had any poor experiences with specific drugs, whether you’ve been difficult to put to sleep, had nausea in post-op and so on).
- The nurse comes back in when it’s time to take you to the OR and administers the first of the drugs you’ll be getting. They often administer this via IV as you are literally being rolled out the door.
- You are in the OR! You are moved from the bed to the OR table, and then the anesthesiologist says hello to you, double checks who you are and what is happening and starts administering drugs (generally propofol with lidocaine and/or gas) and asks you to count down from 10. Most people only get to 8.
- Next thing you know, you are waking up in PACU.
- A PACU nurse is dedicated to your care the entire time, administering pain meds and nausea meds as needed until you start to come out of anesthesia and, if out patient/day surgery, get ready to go home. They will generally want you to pee first.
- If this is not out patient, you will remain in the PACU until you are stable and then you will be moved to your inpatient room. Either in the PACU or in your room, the surgeon will come back and tell you how it went, what was found and what the outcome was (biopsies sent, total success, post-op instructions). In most cases, the patient will not remember this conversation so the loved one/ride in the room will do most of the listening and take notes etc. and the surgeon will direct most of their convo to them. Lol.
- You then recover (at home or in hospital)!
Generally, the conversations you have with your surgeon and anesthesiologist in pre-op are the second convos you have with them about the surgery. You will have a pre-op appointment before the day of surgery where they give you any prep you need (special soap, bowel prep), labs are drawn and you go over the procedure, anesthesia and so on. They touch all bases multiple times!
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I am so sorry. I had one instance of intraoperative awareness - right in the middle of surgery - and that was traumatizing. I am very hard to sedate and keep sedated and always remember everything up until the moment I am knocked out and start forming memories within seconds of them finishing up. I am always aware when being moved off the OR table and back onto a stretcher. I feel so deeply for you and again, am so sorry this happened. I’m also sorry you didn’t get to see your surgeon.
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PLEASE express these fears to Doc Hackman before surgery. Tell him what you experienced last time and that you’d very much appreciate his coming in person to greet you pre-op and, if possible, in the PACU. I know it can be hard to advocate for yourself, but from what I’ve read he seems like an empathetic guy. He is also VERY busy so might not always pop in himself by default (rather than sending a colleague/assistant). He has people traveling from all over to see him (as you well know)! I had hoped to see him since he’s 3 hours from me, but could not even get a timely consult. I went with Doc Ellison at Duke and he’s getting me in in less than a month. He also accommodated my need for my consult to be virtual and is doing a pre-op virtual as well. I will meet with him in person the day before surgery. This is all because I had to speak up! I am wishing you all the best and hope it goes smoothly! Being afraid is normal. I strongly suggest looking into a therapist once you’ve recovered from surgery. A therapist that focuses on and specializes in chronic pain and chronic health issues is a life changing thing.
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