You can return in a relatively short time IF you have a decent doctor and therapist and you do what they say. Return time is 2 - 4 months depending mostly on you.
Horror stories are minimal; anyone can screw up anything. Worst case scenario is that you abuse your hand again and the surgery needs to be repeated.
Surgery is out-patient; it's not a heart and liver transplant and it's not brain surgery, still they're cutting you up and you're getting anesthesia, towards which anyone can have a bad reaction. Otherwise, it's a 15 minute operation. It'll be over literally before you know it.
Had right hand done in 1994 and left hand done in 2005.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."