If your wife thinks painful surgery recover is a vacation, you're married to a ******* moron. Talk to her about how this is NOT a holiday, especially when recovery has been horrible with minimal pain reduction. Do you have kids? Perhaps suggest calling on family to help your house if its becoming too much to bear for her. Your work on the other hand, they don't really know what's going on you may need some doctors notes to tag along behind you to save your job.

It'd be funny if you are an actor, and took that "break a leg" wish too literally.

Throw the whole wife away. I broke my leg, and if my husband ever said he needed "me time" after I got home he'd be packing his bags, and leaving.

I have had multiple major surgeries. I learned from my first knee operation that oxycodone (the active ingredient in endone) is very dangerous stuff. It is effective but wears off quicker and sooner than it’s supposed to. That makes you want to take it more often than you should - that tends to make it very habit forming. Speak with your nurse or doctor if they can prescribe something else. Whatever you do, do not go home on oxycodone. In the hospital the nurses control the dosing, at home it’s up to you until you run out. By the way it helps to keep your mind occupied - watch TV, listen to music, read, whatever works for you... As to recovery from major surgery being a “vacation” it’s not and anyone who thinks so is sadly misinformed. Either your wife is ignorant of the facts of life or she’s too self involved to understand what you are going through. As to the job, your physician can give you a written note as to when you are qualified to return to work. Depending on the state and the size of your employer there may be state laws requiring your employer to hold your job position available for you until your doctor says you can return to work - That’s California state law in the USA. Different states have different laws.

It says "Anonymous" and yet, considering OP is worried about getting fired while in the hospital, we KNOW they're in America, don't we?

If you're in America I suspect FMLA would cover your situation. Most other countries likely have more liberal protections.