Pam, hope your son heals quickly. He is young and hopefully in good health to bounce back. Yes, the overseas hospitals are not like ours here in the US. Maybe they want the patient awake because of the type of anesthesia they use? I was in a military hospital in Europe back in the early 70s - run by the military, but still not quite what the US had.
Meanmom, good luck with your school problems. My DIL in MO is a special ed teacher and tells me of the problems she has with the school counselors and the principal - guess some of these issues go both ways. In any case, good luck.