PLEASE~What is recovery like after an abdominal hysterectomy?

The actual recovery is not bad, but does have it's drawbacks. I had one when I was 30 y/o. My only son was 11 months. Pain the day of surgery was bad I will admit, (worshipped that demerol pump & really hated to lose it), the second day it was alot better, 3rd day was a piece of cake. NOW the after care, I had no lifting over 4 pounds for 4 weeks. The doctor said no more than a gallon of milk. No driving for 4 weeks. She cannot lift & should not try to do so or you risk busting things inside such as where they attached the ligaments to the top of the to hold it up, the arteries & vessels tied off/cauterized, it is just to dangerous to lift. I felt great with no pain so I called the doctor & ask him, "hey I feel great, no pain, nothing, can I at least drive to the grocery store?". I got yelled at LOL........ He was right. One night standing at the stove cooking, feeling great about 2 weeks after I just woke up on the floor. Judging from the way my hamburgers looked that were cooking & the stove clock I think I ped out about 3 or 4 minutes. I woke up felt fine. The doctor told me this was normal & was the reason I was told not to drive for 4 weeks. Bathing, I bathed fine, just made sure to dry the incision good as I had staples. The nights my husband wasn't home I slept on the floor with my son so I didn't have to worry about lifting him up if anything happened. I figured I would be on the floor with him. Rolled over got my legs under me, pushed up leaning on the arm of a chair or something & had no problem, just no straining the abd's. I stayed in the hospital 2 nights also, this is normal, some doctors are one night. Maybe have panty liners handy for a few days. I had discharge a couple weeks, but nothing bad at all.