At the ripe age of 68, I'm getting my right hip replaced....end of next month. Been limping with problems for some time now.

The hip replacement may signal the end of my entertaining days...hauling equipment..etc. Been entertaining pretty regularly since I was 16.

Got friends that would be more than happy to fill in while I'm out. So, we'll see how that goes. Not sure they entertain like I do...but who knows?

Maybe time to bow out?

So when is it time to bow out?

I have said it before ... I will bow out when the gigs - LACK THEREOF - tell me it's time ... otherwise I will "keep on keepin' on" ...

Best of luck with the surgery ... my wife had it done one year ago this past March ... she is doing great ...
I would not think this would be the end of your entertaining career at all ... As long as you are otherwise healthy and do the rehab therapy as prescribed you REALLY should be much better off than you are now ... I had two knees done 14 and 13 years ago and I'm still kickin' - literally ... I had heard that the rehab for the hip is easier than that of the knee and from what I saw with my wife, it is true ... Do the rehab and in no time you will be telling your fill-in buddies to go back to doing what they were doing before they had to fill in for you ...

Good luck with your surgery. A very active tennis playing Principal I worked for when I was teaching had it done and he was back walking the halls in 6 weeks. A while later he was back on the courts so keep the faith. All should,go,well.
As for packing it in it's been discussed here before. If you still like doing it, can perform on a level that makes you and your audiences happy, and most important can get gigs that you like the question answeres itself.
To make a bad pun, let the situation "play itself out" and see what happens.

Good luck with your surgery....passing the torch is a difficult thing....but it also can be rewarding.

Good luck with the surgery. Keep in mind that there will be some down time during rehab, however, the vast majority of hip replacement surgeries go well and the patient is able to physically do more than they could a year prior to the surgery.

In my case I had no choice. Both my back and lungs are shot to Hell and there is NO surgical option for either. I've already had two successful back surgeries many years ago, but the scar tissue from those surgeries is too dense and organized to safely perform another surgery on my back. I just live with the pain and take M&Ms (Margarettas and Morphine).

Keep on truckin'

Gary

My wife had a hip replaced at age 74, and my brother-in-law at about the same age. My wife, faithfully, did her rehab, but he did not. She recovered quickly and is as good as new, but my brother-in-law didn't regain full mobility because he didn't like to do his exercizes. As stated above, rehab is of the greatest importance.

Good Luck with your surgery and may you make a quick recovery.
Life has it's bumps in the road but it's still worth the trip.
Best to you, Lloyd

Tx all.

Life is some adventure.