ATTENTION ALL MOMS! im pregnant and have questions! please help?

ok so im pregnant and i was just wondering. does getting the actual epidural hurt alot? cause i hate hate hate needles! haha i was also wondering how it feels after the epidural wears off? on a scale of one to 10? because i know they cut you and that cant feel too good haha. did the doctors give you any pain meds for after you leave the hospital? one more question...i cant wait for my baby to get here but im only a month a a half so what did you do to pass the time?