Hi Mary, I don't yet know how it is living without a hip, but I will soon. I had 2 rt femur fractures , got a hip years later, then a peri prosthetic femur fracture after slipping on ice. They put a plate on the side of my femur, and it failed. They did it again, and again it failed. I have just moved 800 miles from home. Duke will be pulling out everything. They will put a rod in my femur and send me home. I will be without a hip for 6(??) Months. Once they are happy with the femur healing, they will put in a new hip. I get it. Everything must go. Fist things first. No infection, blood looks good. I am super hard o this stuff. I am a metal fabricator, and am o my feet from Sun up to Sun down. My past surgeries have been done by the best in Boston. This surgery by the best at Duke in NC. I hope things are going well with you.