If there is no staff member there I don't see a reason that you shouldn't be able to pick him up in the evening.
For the e-collar I attached it to a cat collar with a bell so I could hear him moving around...but I'm a light sleeper which made it easy for me to know that Rizzo was on the move. Lucky for me though, he is a total wimp and won't jump off furniture, though he does jump on and off my couches which aren't too high up. But he won't jump off my bed...or at least he hasn't and doesn't seem to want to .
Don't forget to ask about pain meds for the few days after the surgery. Most don't need them but they'll be good to have just in case.
Good luck, don't worry yourself too much
