Ok, you're having a hip replacement for the same reason my mother did. She had degenerative arthritis and both hips were gone. My first piece of advice is that there are two kinds of replacements, one the new joint is cemented into place, the other, the new joint is placed over the bone that is expected to grow to fit it. DON'T get the second kind of hip replacement. It doesn't work with degenerative conditions. Mom had to have the second hip done again.

Mom's doctor told her, "Do your exercises as steadily as you practice your religion". Mom said, "I'm not very religious. I'll do better than that." Mom led a fairly active life after she had her hips done. She went to England 3 times. She did city tours.

Now, about that active life, as you are having the surgery in the summer, TRY NOT TO BE A BITCH. Mom was perfectly reasonable after her first surgery in January. She was perfectly happy to spend a couple of weeks in bed reading and doing the Times crossword puzzle. She had the second one done in July. Matricide struck me as a splendid idea, more than once. She was stuck in the house, when the weather was good, and there were places to go. She was NOT a nice person. If you can hold out until January, do so.

Oh, you can't wear high heels after the surgery. But you can certainly wear attractive flats. Mom always did.