it was clearly all very planned, to the point that Nicky coincidentally happened to have her phone in her hand with the camera aimed at the door at exactly the right moment! generally speaking, if someone hears an unusual rustling sound in their house, their first instinct isn't to remain where there are, grab their phone and start filming. she knew exactly what was about to walk thru that door, and it's quite clearly a lie to claim it was a surprise.
what's worse is that i don't think Alex does this because he wants to, or because her thinks it will cheer her up, and i don't think it makes Nicky smile when Alex dresses in stupid costumes or turns up to visit her in hospital wearing a matching shirt and slipper combo - it's all for content, because he is very aware that creating content for Nicky is what will make her happy - not him dressing up like a dick, but giving her something to film and share on IG, because that is her predominant focus. it's the likes and engagement and comments on her reels that boosts her mood - not Alex's behaviour makinh her smile - which he must be aware of, and must be incredibly hurtful knowing that he isn't enough, that spending time with him isn't enough - unless he's doing stuff that can be filmed and shared in IG.
that said, as much as I don't think it was the best idea for her to be discharged home, i'm relieved that she was if her husband was planning it rock up to visit her on the ward dressed in that costume! she's used to beingnon the teen cancer ward, where all the nurses are used to her antics, and the other patients are expected to simply put up with her drama, but generally speaking, nurses working on a busy ward are not going to be impressed by an idiot turning up in a lobster costume so that Nicky can dick around in her room filming reels and likely disrupting whatever they need to be doing to care for her - in exactly the same way that they wouldn't have appreciated her dad dicking around in the corridor in a wheelchair and getting in their way - while potentially upsetting other patients. yet I assume they are aware that they need to just put up with it to avoid a tantrum and Nicky throwing her toys out of the pram, before immediately calling her "team" from the teen cancer ward to demand they send some of her usual, favourite nurses to comfort and console her, and explain to the nurses on the ward she is currently on that she needs it be treated like the princess she is!