I sent my answer in three parts -- read the third part first and work backwards -- hope you can make sense of it!
If you don't mind letting me know, I'd like to know when your surgery is scheduled.
I never tried "voice" software, but I know it has worked for other writers. It was a thrilling day when I got to use both hands again.
By working at home, I could slow down my work pace but still work. Also, the pain medication kept me from driving much for several months.
Bottom line -- it is a big surgery, but you do recover. It takes a lot of time, and it affects your life more than you would want, but all of it is manageable. It's better than the alternative. In my case, without the surgery, I would have lost the use of my arm and hand. I will be eternally grateful for my surgeon!
Anything else?
I had to ice my arm and my hand for several weeks, but two weeks after surgery, I could hold a few playing cards and play games with people. Sleeping was difficult because of hypersensitivity, so I used Ambien, but I got off it eventually.
I went to a hand therapy specialist and did physical therapy every week -- both of those people helped me a lot!
Long nerves take a long time to heal. One study that followed people who had surgery said their nerves took from 1 1/2 to 4 years to heal. I'm at the 2 1/2 year mark, and I'd say I'm 80% back to normal.
I'm a writer, too, so not typing two-handed was difficult. I adapted quickly to typing one-handed -- I did that for a year. I still got a manuscript published even while I was recovering.