Thanks for your reply. I'd say you were doing very well after only 5 months. Unfortunately, I had no real symptoms of an infection until about 5 days beforehand when I went septic. The surgeon was going to do antibiotic spacer, then replace with another hip in 3-4 months, but when he got in there and saw the extent of the damage to muscle and bone he had to decide whether to amputate at the hip or clean me up as best he could and try to save my leg. He had to remove my vastus lateralis, illiotibial band, and part of my gluteal muscle due to necrosis. He said he had never seen anything like it and figured I had that infection brewing in me for a long time. The infection is still in my femur and pelvis (chronic osteomyelitis) and I will be on antibiotics for lifetime also. He said the risk was too great in his opinion to ever try for another implant as he feels it would get infected. My bacteria was "strep". After what I went through in the hospital for 3 weeks, I can't imagine ever going through something like that again. I am doing rather well with very little pain and still hoping to walk with just one cane or crutch someday. I have met several other people online that also have a 'girdlestone' as I do and we offer each other support and encouragement. Wishing you all the best in your journey!