Urgent advice needed!
 

My surgery date was moved to June 4th. My wife is due June 12th! My question is will I be able to get to the hospital and stay with her through the birth and hospital stay a week out of surgery? If not I have to wait until the end of June, which is fine, I'm not going to put my wife through that and miss the birth of my son!

My suggestion is to wait
 

If it was me I would put it off till later. You won't even be able to hold the newborn that soon after surgery, I think the phrase one person gave was 'nothing heavier than a paper bag!'

Is your wife having a 'C' section or normal? If normal then how do you know she will definitely have the baby on the 12th? I was anywhere from 1 week to 3 weeks late with all 4 of mine. At least if you wait till the end of June you will be there for her during those first critical weeks when all new mothers need help.

You'll also be into a bit more of a routine with the baby and get more of an idea of what you will and will not be able to do after the surgery, ergo, how much external help you will BOTH need.

Hi Sonja. Thanks for the advice. Well, it's a dead issue anyhow! Comp won't put it off so June 4th it is. That's my daughters third birthday too! Unbelievable! She's not having a c section and we have lots of help post baby and surgery. My concern was being able to be in the hospital with her.

Bummer. I'd delay, reschedule, or even cancel but since you can't ...

Sorry, but I wouldn't count on you being able to help your wife. No lifting!!! That includes the baby carrier, overnight bag, and the baby itself. Also, check when you will be released to drive. You might be heavily medicated still. Plus the sleeping/sitting situation will be bad, even if you have help. You are going to be tired.

New lease, thanks for the reaffirmation that this is gonna suck! Hahaha! I'm hoping I can drive, but the doc said its different for everyone. Oh well, I've been through worse! We'll make it happen!

Yes, you're welcome for the light-hearted and uplifting words!! LOL. It isn't all doom and gloom. I was up and walking about Amsterdam a few days after my cervical surgery, but I wasn't allowed to drive for 4 weeks after my surgery though. Follow your Doc's advice and you'll pull through. Best of luck on your upcoming surgery!!

Hahaha thanks. We have choice but to do well, he's coming if whether we're ready or not! We have lots of help and my wife is the most amazingly patient and strong willed woman I know, she'd have to be to put up with me!

Sometimes I think the wives of servicemen are part superhero...

It's nothing close to what you'll be going through but my wife and once had knee surgery on the same day and needed 8wks each on crutches. Based on that experience and your inability to move your surgery, I'd suggest taking the next week or so and seeing if you can organize the whole house based on having "strangers" who don't know your routines helping out, you being unable to lift (example: break every bulk package into small containers that are easily lifted), and basically look at how you'll live with both of you needing to put your focus elsewhere.

I certainly think my wife is a superhero!

Annapurna, good advise that I will try to accomplish over the next week! Fortunately, newborns are a small package already!