We do seem to be on similar paths. My hip was bone on bone so it needed to be done. Finally saw my surgeon last Wednesday. He was pleased at what he saw. I left him laughing with this story: One day I was grocery shopping at Albertson's. My last stop was the deli counter. Ahead of me was a man. We were both waiting for the lone clerk to come and take our order. So we started chatting. He was wearing shorts so you could see his knee. It looked awful. He told me he had had a knee replacement and was doing well even though it was still swollen. He could hardly wait to get his second knee done. He pointed to my cane and asked about it. I told him I had my hip replace. So guess what. We both had the same surgeon. Became instant buddies. Anyway I told this story to the surgeon and he got a hearty laugh out of it. I guess it's true what they say. Always leave them laughing. One more appointment in January. Now I have finally been able to bring myself to make arrangements for my husband's ashes to be interred. He was a veteran so will be buried in a military cemetery. It has been hard to find a date that will suit everyone so it will not be until the very end of October. Even though my sane mind knows that the box in the closet only holds his ashes, it will be hard to let go. We are in our golden years. That's because we win gold medals for surviving.