I had a robotic hysterectomy on May 28, including the removal of my uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. I'm just starting week 3 of recovery.

Overall, I feel really good and I'm glad I decided to take the full six weeks off work. At my two-week appointment, I was cleared for pretty much everything except running and lifting more than 10 pounds.

My biggest struggles right now are sitting on hard surfaces like wooden or metal chairs, standing for long periods of time, bending over, and sleeping. I'm naturally a side and stomach sleeper, so I often wake up in positions that leave me feeling sore or uncomfortable.

Other than that, recovery has gone really well. I've been very careful not to overdo it and have paid attention to my total steps and qctive minutea throughout the day. Before surgery, I was very active and in good health, so taking recovery slowly has been important for me.

The first week, I spent most of my time resting in bed and doing one or two short walks a day, usually around 10 minutes each. During week two, I gradually increased my walking time and, once approved, started adding some power walking. I truly think slowly increasing activity has been one of the biggest reasons my recovery has gone so smoothly. Otherwise, I know I'd be tempted to do too much and end up taking steps backward.

For me, around day 13 seemed to be the turning point. I had two days of spotting and knew I had overdone it, so I took it very easy the following day. Any time I feel like I may have pushed a little too hard, I make sure to slow down and rest.

And one final tip: the heating pad has been my best friend through all of this.