OT: Hemorrhoidectomy for me--what to expect???

Sorry you have to go through this Denise.  My soon-to-be-ex had this last year.  The first 3-4 days were pretty painful.  Ask your doc about a sits bath, some surgeons allow it and he said it relief some of the discomfort.

He did mention sitz baths for now, but I'll definitely check for after since they do help.

Sounds like drugs and more drugs will be in order!!

All I can say is I am so sorry.  I have been there.  I had the surgery over 10 years ago.  My daughter just had it.  I don't want to scare you but for both of use it was the worst pain we have ever had after surgery.  The problem is you, uh, have to keep using the area.  And the pain meds, while they help, make the problem worse.
I wound up going to the ER at least once in excruciating pain.  What I think would have helped would have been a bowel prep before surgery.  A good bowel prep.  Get as cleaned out as possible.  Like you are getting a colonoscopy.  That should help for a little while.  Eat very little after wards.  Stick with liquids.  Lots of stool softeners and fiber and laxatives as needed.  Miralax.  In other words,  you want to go as little as possible and if you must go, as soft as possible.  The pain is manageable if you aren't using the area.
Both my daughter and I agree that although painful, it was well worth it.  I was in pain all the time because of the hemorrhoids anyway and this has ended that completely.  I would do it again but I would do it differently.