I used to drink with a crowd of really great older guys in Gera... fishing information, shuffle board, homemade horseradish. It was the concensus and advice that joints should be replaced asap when they wear out. A couple felt like they had wasted years of their life by attempting to make-do and deal with the pain... "don't wait until you are 70". A gal that works on my production line had hers done a few months ago. Pretty certain she went FMLA followed by a lay-off due to the economy. I used to tease her by calling her "limpy". When the weather was changing or she had a long day she would develop a visable limp. She didn't know she was limping and my teasing was one of the factors that made her get the hip fixed. I was not teasing to be mean... when she limped I also pushed her towards easy tasks. Today she is much better. The limp and the pain is gone. She has a very physically challenging job... 35lb lifting 30 times per hour, constant walking with stops at different work stations, steps to climb... everyone gains muscle. (Something when you put muscle on a farm girl... her other job is tending a herd of cows.) She is not having any problems with the job, no limp, faster then I am at the same job. I try to take care of her by getting the heavy stuff and she tries to take care of me by getting the heavy stuff. Just started a 25 y/o that can't yet handle the physical demands. We work in a factory making steel things so nothing is light or simple... and it is hot humid uncomfortable work. From what I'm told and can see replacement leaves most people better then before... much better. Speaking of work... I have to go in early. New machines, new jobs,... hiring soon *happy dance*.

Orie, I also suffer from severe sinus issues. I have several polyps that cause horrible pain and pressure. Surgery has been advised, but I have been told the polyps will most likely return, as well as the other sinus issues, so I don't want to attempt it. It sounds like part of your husband's problem are dry and irritated nasal/sinus tissue. I use a Netti Pot which can be purchased at any drug store. It looks like a little tea pot, a mix of water and salt, then flush each nostril. It keeps the nasal passages moist and reduces/eliminates inflammation and irritation. No side effects from drugs and most people use it as part of their morning routine along with brushing teeth, etc.. I use saline sprays throughout the day as well and since using both have noticed a dramatic improvement, escpecially during the winter. Perhaps he can mention the Netti pot to his doctor and see what he thinks.

The surgery is really simple, isn't it? As I mentioned above, I had both my eyes done last December. I have monovision -- one eye for distance and the other for closer. I've had a hard time adjusting to it and if I were to do it again, I would go for the very best distance vision and wear readers at the computer or when reading. I had to get glasses to help "even out" my distance vision. I was hoping I would not have to wear glasses after the surgery, other than readers. The glasses I got are bifocals. I can actually get by okay without the glasses, but I do feel a little eyestrain and slightly off balance. I also have to have the YAG laser procedure as there is some clouding resulting from the surgery. That will happen in May. Almost everyone I know who got simple monofocal lenses for distance is very happy with their result. I wish I were one of them. I would NEVER get the Restor multifocals. Too much risk. My night vision is greatly improved and I am happy with that.

My seven-year-old cocker or has been dealing with allergies and severe ear infections for the past two years . He has seen three different vets and a dermatologist, He’s been on every anabiotic steroids eardrops you name it nothing has helped. I finally made the decision to proceed with that year ablation surgery which was five days ago , i’ll be honest I didn’t expect him to recover so quickly and was very heartbroken and torn about the decision . His surgery was at PVSEC in Pittsburgh and the surgery cost $5000 per ear. Prior to his surgery he was absolutely miserable, his ears were completely swelled shut, he was in so much pain you couldn’t touch his ears without him crying. It’s now five days after surgery, with stitches still intact, he has no problem with me handling his ear to apply antibiotic ointment and it looks great. I want to give him plenty of recovery time before proceeding with his second surgery. . As far as BRUTUSES comment goes, The individual sounds like the type of person who would not hesitate to take his pet outside and end it’s life with a shotgun because it had fleas, but hey, that’s just my OPPINION. I would do anything and everything to help my furbaby because in my eyes, he IS my child, not some animal whose life isn’t worth saving. I was extremely hesitant about having this surgery, but now that I have witnessed how fast he’s bounced back and the pain he’s no longer in, with that particular ear, I’m not as upset to proceed with the second ear in a few months. We do what we can for our babies and sometimes when all other options have been exhausted, we have no other choice other than surgery.