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@Mrs. Jump Rope: Ditto to everything!
I considered my C-section recovery easy with regard to the pain, as well as my mobility afterward. The first 24-48 hours were, by far, the most painful, but I was out of bed and walking within 12 hours. That actually helped, believe it or not.
The more I walked, the better I was.
I was on Percocet for about a week, then Ibuprofen for another few days.
The hardest part was the lochia/postpartum bleeding. For me, it was extremely heavy for almost 6 weeks. But other than that, I have been good!

@NerdBee: I had a similar experience, though it was closer to 6 weeks before I felt 100%.

I had a much harder time dealing with it mentally than physically. Physically, it was not horrible by any means, but I had a very hard time accepting that I was going to have a scheduled csection and it was rather traumatizing of an experience for me at the time. I felt I was robbed of the natural labor experience. I'm 11 minths pp and I now choose to view the whole experience as a blessing. I am in a country in which I was able to have a safe footling breech delivery via a sterile and calm surgery, and both my child and I are perfectly healthy.

My recovery definitely felt "easy" I was up and walking without any assistance within 12 hours. I felt a bit of pulling/tugging when I got in and out of bed for about a week and a half, and was feeling 100% back to myself by 2 weeks.

I am a huge believer in pain killers/post-operative pain control (I have had surgery with pain issues afterwards in the past). I took ibuprofen every 8 hours around the clock for 2 weeks, and T3's around the clock every 6 hours for about 10 days (I didn't give myself a chance to feel the pain).

Mentally, I always "had a feeling" I would end up with a c-section for some reason. I really did no preparation for a vaginal delivery, so I wasn't that upset when I needed an emergency c-section due to fetal distress. As it is, S didn't breathe on his own for several minutes after delivery, and had a poor cord pH due to distress, so we were really lucky for the amazing care we had.

Emotionally it was hell, hell, hell.
Physically--let's just say I never took any painkillers (no Tylenol or Ibu or narcotics) after the c-section. I had more pain from gas than from the surgery. But I also didn't heal very well and had pain later from overexerting myself (I think that's why).
I was hardly able to walk the first few days but it got easier quickly. It wasn't pain exactly--it was really a sensation of physical incapacity to move.
I couldn't exercise for 10 weeks.

I knew for a few weeks ahead of time that I would have a c-section. For me, the worst part of the delivery was the numbing shot they gave me before they administered the epidural. It felt like a bee sting. From then on, no pain!

As for my recovery, I thought it was super easy and I had no complications or issues with getting around. My c-section was at 2 a.m. and by 7 p.m. that evening, the nurses had me get out of bed to sit in a chair. I think that really helped speed up my recovery. It was a little tough at first to walk. I felt like my legs were jello, but by the next morning even I was moving around a lot better and taking walks around the floor, etc. After we came home three days later, I really didn't have any issues bending to get LOs out of the PNP or walking around holding one.

I'd say definitely stay on top of your pain meds like around the clock. I had the nurses wake me if it was time to take the next dose, I didn't wait for any pain to creep up to take them. I'd say within 7 days, I was spacing out how often I was taking them and by 10 days, I was off the Percocet and Ibuprofen completely.

@BKCaribBaby:
Mine was unplanned and was not "easy" at all, but two things that made it "easier" was taking all pain meds as prescribed, and getting up within a few hours at nurses orders to walk.

Mine was planned and the first 48 hours were bad - but I still managed with just anti-inflammatories and Tylenol. I heard stairs would be bad, but I didn't find them hard. Getting up and down from sitting/laying down was painful for a while, but kind of like a really serious ab workout.

My c-section came after 24 hours in labor (I was induced). She was just not coming down. Recovery wise, it was pretty easy and not all that difficult. I had her 6 in the morning and by 6pm, I had gotten out of bed and was sitting in the rocking chair in our room. I was able to take a shower the next morning and walked the halls (my doctor suggested it). My legs did feel like jello at first but I think it was because I was lying down for so long.

After my epidural wore off, they gave me a narcotic painkiller. I didn't know what it was and in my sleepy haze agreed to it. I stay away from drugs too and like being natural so the next time the nurse came in, I refused it so instead they gave me Motrin. After a few days, I didn't even need that anymore. The only medicine I came home with was stool softeners bc going to the bathroom after c-section is painful!

The worst part of recovery was taking the tape off of my c-section scar. now THAT hurt!!

Mine was planned, so I didn't have to recover from labor and surgery. The day after I was up and walking. The pain meds helped, but were definitely not enough that I ever felt loopy or out of it; they just controlled the pain. Wearing a belly band really helped with pain as well; and I had no issue with stairs, getting up/out of bed, etc. I was able to hold and care for my newborn from moment 1 just like any vaginal birth mama.

A couple weeks after delivery I could go walking for a couple of miles a day (with LO in a stroller), and at 9 months pp my scar is nearly completely faded.