Having had joint replacements and numerous other orthopedic surgeries, I would like to weigh in on your comment "...I’m feeling pretty doubtful about this whole process..." Joint replacement surgery can be life-changing if it relieves pain and restores mobility. But it is a big commitment! The surgery (and the surgeon) are about 20% of the total - you commitment to doing prehab (getting in shape for surgery) and long-term rehab are another 60%. The rest is karma, luck of the draw, whatever you might call it.

So you need to be prepared to work hard, keep advocating for yourself, and deal with the post-surgical aches and pains. PT is 30 minutes 2-3 times a week for a few weeks. The rest of the days, you need to do it on your own - even if it is boring, even if it hurts - until you meet your goals. Then, depending on how active you are, you may need to keep doing some of the exercises 2-3 times a week for longer - maybe forever.

I'm going to recruit one of our joint replacement veterans here - @heyjoe415 - can you describe your journeys with joint replacements?