This is not the time to have a ton of visitors. In the first place, the visiting time limits in the ICU can be strict, some only 15 minutes every hour or so, and only within a certain number of hours. Others are different, but most will limit the number of visitors to two at a time. If you have a ton of relatives who want to go in to see you, this will limit the time your very closest loved ones can be with you. I don't know how that will play with your family.
You won't be in good shape at all for the first day or so, and even after that, you will look and feel like you got run over by a truck. You may have a very sore throat and not feel like chit chat. But having visitors make people feel obligated to "keep them entertained", and you won't be able to do this, plus if you are a private person, you won't want that added stress.
With all of my husband's operations, I only wanted a couple of people with me, and that would have been the closest members to me. I myself, didn't want to have to "entertain" people and make small talk. I just wanted to be quiet and wait. It would have really upset me to have to give up any of my face time with my husband as he lay in the ICU. I would have resented that.
It was even hard for me to have to call everyone when I got home from the hospital each day to fill them in, each one, over and over again, and took sometimes an hour or so, when I just wanted to crash because I was so emotionally exhausted. So, if you can set up a telephone tree, it would be helpful.
My husband, like you, didn't want a whole lot of people around him. Because he had had so many of these surgeries, he knew how he would look and how he would be acting due to medications and left over anesthesia effects. One time, when he was very, very ill, and in the ICU, he made me promise that he wouldn't be a "side show" with lots of people gawking at him, and I kept my promise. A friend of his sister-in-law who was a little peculiar, decided that she needed to see Joe. She came alone, and wanted to perform some kind of religious praying over him. She didn't even know Joe. I had to tell the receptionist at the ICU desk that she would not be allowed and right then limited visitations to the very closest relatives.
So, I hope your closest loved ones will honor your wishes and do whatever they can to play it as you wish. This is your operation and you have the right to go through it the way that makes you feel comfortable. That being said, you and your loved ones will have to speak with folks in a way that will not ruffle feathers. You don't want your operation to be the cause of a family melt-down.
As far as your modesty goes, you can just throw that one out the window. Your body will be on display for the medical staff, more times than you can count, every inch of it, and there is nothing you can do about it. Believe me, your naked body has no interest for them other than how they can help you get through your surgery.
You will probably be out of the hospital within 5-7 days anyway. But I still recommend that you don't have a ton of visitors until you can walk and talk and are feeling much better. Then you can celebrate and enjoy company. Too early on, it will be a big burden.
