Today's a big day for Kendell. Twenty years ago, he was diagnosed with avascular necrosis in his hips. This means that over the last two decades, the balls of his hip joints---which are basically dead bone---have been wearing down. His hip joints now look like a disintigrating mountaintop instead of the smooth curve most everyone else has. Every few years or so, he'd go in for another x-ray and another spate of advice: wait as long as you can to get them done. And each year, he's been in more and more pain; just walking got harder and harder. (I'm always surprised at how many downright-rude comments he's gotten from random strangers about his gait. Seriously: he doesn't choose to walk like he's been horseback riding for way too long!)

This spring, though, through a variety of very happy coincidences, we were guided to the  very best doctor and procedure we could have found. All those years of waiting paid off in discovering a cutting-edge surgeon and a new technique---the anterior approach---that will make his recovery so much easier. They'll even do both hips during the same surgery. After getting far more than just a second opinion---I think this is our fifth or sixth opinion, honestly---I feel we were lead to the perfect situation. It is a blessing.

So...today's the day. He's having both hips replaced with new, stainless steel joints. I've been joking with him that he'll soon be the bionic man, but honestly I am just hoping for a very few things. 1---that he'll be happier. 2---that he can be free of pain. 3---that he can return to doing the things he loves to do (like hiking, say, or mowing the lawn without needing pain meds afterward). I feel like everything will go smoothly today, although I am not so sure about the recovery. (I am not a nurse for a reason!)

Wish us luck!