Exactly! I was told the same from many people saying "I heard it was easy peasy." Not in my case! This all set me up for high expectations and when I could barely lift my leg after one week in rehab, I became so discouraged. Majority of pain continued for 6 weeks, using walker.
I live alone. Our hospital gives pre-surgery seminars on what to expect at home. So I had my house & assistive equipment set up to accommodate my needs. Family & friends provided meals + cleaning. At age 72, my surgery was at the end of Feb 2025. After 5 months, I still cannot cross my leg so putting on sneakers is difficult. Probably my biggest complaint is that I have a lot of numbness + pain on side of my thigh. It's better than it was initially but still painful when I sleep on it for short intervals. While I haven't used a cane for awhile, I cannot walk or stand for long distances without cane or somewhere to sit. I found my right total reverse shoulder replacement much less painful in 2023. My surgeon reassured me, everyone recovers differently. I am grateful to this group that validates my experiences.