<human>: Condense the text into a few key points

My wife is having minor knee surgery (1 hr, outpatient, no general anesthesia) on the 22nd. It's completely elective, to address some pain issues that have bothered her on and off for the past three years. She decided to schedule this surgery right before Christmas for a number of (good) reasons, but it conflicted with our plans to spend the holiday with my family several states away. 

My family was really excited we were coming, and I was too, mainly because I haven't gotten to spend quality time with my sister in a few years since she moved away. Knowing how important seeing my family was to me, my wife suggested she invite her parents to come stay with her while I traveled for Christmas. Her parents were happy to come down (they only live four hours away), so the plan for the past two months has been that I be with my wife while she has her surgery (in the morning) and leave later that evening. Her parents will also be there that day and will stay with her until I get back a week later. 

As the day gets closer, however, my mother in law has been insinuating that I don't care enough about my wife to stay with her while she recovers. She's told my wife that I need to learn to "say no" to my family when they want me to spend time with them.

Up until now, I've had a very good relationship with my wife's parents. I'm worried this might ruin it. Of course I'm worried about my wife and her recovery, but I'm certain she's in good hands with her parents to look after her, and I am fully prepared to stay if anything at all goes wrong during the surgery. 

Have I made the right decision? What should I say to my MIL when she comes down?
<bot>: Mother-in-law is miffed that I'm spending christmas with my family instead of by my wife's bedside. Not sure if I'm handling it right.