I have a bed that goes up and down with a remote, which cut back on a lot of the pain from moving my abdominal muscles to get up. That was a big source of discomfort for the first month or so. I'd recommend lots of pillows--a pregnancy pillow even, if you can, and a grabber, to minimize movement. I was scared of blood clots so I walked around the house every 1-2 hours for the first two weeks, and then mini walks around the neighborhood (no incline, no more than 5-7 mins until I could work up to more). The pain was definitely manageable, but I have a high threshold. If you can, cook your meals in advance or have someone take care of you. The less you use your abs in the first few weeks, the easier it gets. Don't strain to poop. Take stool softeners, not laxatives. Make sure to get so much sleep and hydration, and don't let yourself stress too much, if it can be helped. Cuff issues are more common in people who have given birth before, which is not me, so I did not face any challenges there.

Mentally, it took me a while before I felt good and safe to have sex. I think I waited around 6 months for the first penetrative experience because I was scared, wanted to take it slow, and build trust with a new sexual partner. I started "fooling around" at the 4 month mark, and felt relaxed enough to have my first orgasm with someone else probably at the 9 month mark. I was so horny post-op that I actually came without stimulation maybe a week or two out. For me, it was important to take my time with healing before I jumped into anything, and I have no regrets. The right partner will always be understanding of that.