Don't know which is worse, living with bad joints and some pain or having permenant disabling replacement joints installed. These replacement joints do not funciton like natural bone and many times cause more complicated results. These replacement joints do wear out and are a very costly expense to maintain. They are overrated and many times a failure to those that have them, especially in older people whose bones are deteriating and changing all the time. The 'just because they can' attitude of the medical community leaves a lot to be desired for the long term undisclosed disabling and permenant drug dependent resutlts. Either way a person choses, they are still permenantly disabled and it depends on what an individual or insurance will pay over their lifetime. However, this is not the doctors concern, they expect patients to accept permenant change at any cost. Life does have a dollar value and cost attached to it. Doctors and the law seem to think otherwise, they don't have to pay the medical bills. Then try to get any future socialized medical insurance or hospitals to cover these costs. I don't know anybody that has had these procedures done without unfavorable results.

A knee-replacement changed me from being relegated to a wheelchair to being able to do almost anything. They can be fantastic.

Sorry about your situation, Bog.

I too had total hip surgery and it has changed my life. I was in pain all the time and hobbled about. Now, I just returned from a European cruise and walked the cobblestone streets of Italy. I have absolutely no pain and total mobility. My surgeon was fanstastic. I am very grateful!

Do you therapy everyday and you will recover and do well. My husband has 2 knees both done at the U of U and now he needs a new hip but he is balking at that for reasons unknown to me. His sister and 58 year old daughter just had them done within the last 6 months both are doing very well. His oldest sister needed to have them done and refused, she is in a wheelchair much of the time.
Everyone is thin, listened to the P.T .
My little aunt had hers done in Idaho at the regional hospital, she was in agony for years after. Her surgeon did fewer than 75 per year -that is a key point, you want a surgeon that does lots of them.