Teenage student having operation now - back home or to college?

[ServantofthePeople]

My son is currently having an operation in his student town. If all goes well It’s a 40 minute op.
he will have a drain for 48 hours (burr hole).
if all goes well and he’s out on, say, Monday, and wants to go back to Uni, can he?
realistically he needs to be in his student town to stay near the hospital treating him.
is the normal thing for him to stay at his Uni accommodation but me to stay near if he has care requirements?

all experience /expertise appreciated

(obviously if there are complications it’s different.)

I don't think there is a "norm"

Clearly it will depend on the operation - what it is, how straightforward it is, what the after effects are likely to be, how debilitating it is - but also on what (if any) follow up is needed at the hospital (or if it is something that could be done by your local practice nurse - like the removal of stiches or changing a dressing).
It will then also depend on what his accommodation is like, what his flatmates are like, and, quite frankly on how convenient it is for you to go and stay there ratehr than having him home with you.

Thanks Kite.

it will be highly inconvenient for me but I think he is going to have a need to be near this big hospital, not our little local one.

I guess it depends on the ongoing treatment plan. If that could be done more locally to home he might feel better there than in student accommodation. How far away do you live? Hope he recovers quickly.

Is he is university managed accommodation? If so they might have staff to do welfare checks if you are worried.

DD had an emergency operation in her uni city and went straight back to her uni accommodation as she wasn't able to travel (our home is 600 miles away). Operation just happened to coincide with us being there. I stayed on a couple of days, but all I was needed for was food and comfort clothes shopping and to let nurse in. She's a very sociable person and I ended up being a spare part as she constantly had a group of friends in her room (despite having to lie on her front throughout!). Meals were included in her rent, and she arranged for her friends bring back meals for her (she had to phone the catering team to arrange).

If your son is well enough to travel and wants to be home, it might be worth him phoning a local GP to you first thing on Monday to see if care can be transferred. Unfortunately DD ended up having four operations in the end, sometimes in uni city, sometimes here. She was able to transfer her ongoing care in terms of nursing care/checks after operations between English and Scottish GPs/hospitals and phoned ahead on the occasions she wanted to go back to uni/come home.

Hope the operation goes ok.

Thank you these replies are helpful.
He wants to stay at uni. Which is where the best hospital is.
there is a college nurse on site - I’m think I stay involved until he has set up a relationship with her.
the main risks are further head injury so he will need to modify his behaviours for rest of term at least.
I’m hoping surgeon will lay down the law a bit