Rob,
My wife had a full hip replacement in 2008... her only comment was, "They better wake me up in time to hear the inauguration speech" (She's a news junkie)... they did, but I'm not sure she really heard much.... she was in and out of the hospital in 3-4 days, home with a home health nurse coming out every other day for a week, then twice a week for another week... today she hardly knows she has an artificial hip.
About 5 years ago I had an umbilical hernia become strangulated and had emergency surgery for that... they kept me in the hospital for over a week... in bed for 4 days before they would allow me up, then only to walk the halls a little, then back to bed... couldn't even go to the bathroom, had to use the duck.... that was hard as I've never been able to pee in bed... finally learned to at least stand up beside the bed.
I was gutted like a white bellied fish for about 8 or 9 inches right along side the belly button... about 40 staples and that was sore. I was still stapled when I went home and had to go back a week later to have them out... I lost 30 lbs in the hospital, they didn't feed me until the day I was discharged and only a thin broth that day. I could suck ice, but it gave me the hiccups and that hurt my stomach...
Don't you just love all this good information just before you go into surgery.
Good luck, pay attention to all the doctors, nurses and rehab techs instructions.... you'll do fine. Knee replacements, hip replacements and even shoulder replacements have become routine and commonplace.
Oh and yeah, today is Friday 13th.