[header] How to support a friend after surgery [title] Plan your visit ahead of time. [step] While your friend might usually love a spur of the moment visit, recovering from surgery is a different matter entirely. Not only do hospitals often have specific visiting hours, your friend might need to prepare physically and emotionally for visitors. 
[substeps] Know the hospitals visiting hours and policies. Depending on where in the hospital your friend is staying, there is different protocol for visitation.