Flying and coping alone after surgery?

[Guest guest]

I'm trying to schedule my surgery (lower adv.) for July, but I'm

struggling to find a friend that can stay with me in Seattle the

entire time the surgeon requires me to be there (eight days). I'll be

coming from Montana, which is a solid day of driving time. My two good

friends here live several hours beyond me, even. They both have

businesses that make it impossible for them to be gone for 10 days.

So I'm trying to figure out how to make this work. I might be able to

juggle them both somehow -- with one coming out for the first five

days and the other for the second five days. Or if we all fly, that

shaves off about a day. But having three of us going gets expensive.

Maybe just one friend could fly out in time for the surgery and leave

within three days or so?

So my questions are: How soon after surgery would I be able to fly?

And how long do I really NEED to have someone with me? I'm a pretty

capable person -- live alone, travel alone, take care of myself when

I'm sick, etc. But is it realistic to think I could cope alone within

three or four days of surgery? I know it probably wouldn't be a good

idea for those of you doing upper, but I'm just doing lower ....

Thanks!

Luna