I am 52 years old and two weeks ago I had a total left hip replacement due to the hip being bone-on-bone and very bad arthritis. I need my right hip and both knees done, also due to arthritis. At a time when I should be enjoying life, this is what I have to look forward to.

My back and hips hurt for years but at age 56 the pain got so bad I went to an arthritis doctor. He told me he was prescribing a rolling walker which I would need to use until I decided to get my hips replaced. I didn't believe him but as the months went by my hips got worse and I was using the walker and a wheelchair. I finally went to an orthopedic surgeon who showed me the x-rays of bone-on-bone and asked when to schedule the surgeries. Turns out I had hip dysplasia he said and congratulated me on making it as far as I did. I'm 1 year post having both hips replaced now and I'm able to do a lot I couldn't do for years. Don't wait as long as I did; I just didn't want to accept it.

I'm 57. In 1978 I fell off a horse and landed on my left hip. Despite doing physical therapy on and off from the late 1980's onward, no treatments lasted. By about 2008 I was losing the ability to raise my left leg and riding my horse became a trial as my range of motion eroded. Finally it reached a tipping point in 2010 and I developed severe inward rotation of my left leg. The level of pain went up and I lost the ability to really function well for daily activities around my farm. My orthopedic doctor requested an X-ray and an MRI. They were both pretty horrifying. He says I should have had the hip replaced at least 5 years ago. Finally I'm getting it replaced the first week of August. I can hardly wait. Nothing I take gets rid of the agonizing deep grinding bone pain. Constant pain is really exhausting. It can't happen soon enough! I am looking forward to getting my life back.