Episode 6: You Need a Hip Replacement—Wait, Me?! I’m only 37! Pt. 1 of 2, maybe 3 - because the comeback needs both legs.

This episode isn’t from a place of arrival. It’s from the messy middle—from pain, denial, and the process of healing.At 37, I did not expect to hear the words: “You need a hip replacement.” But that’s exactly what happened.I had just gotten back from a fun road trip to Chicago with my husband. I was walking fine (or so I thought) and hoping for an injection or some physical therapy. Instead, I got a diagnosis: AVN—avascular necrosis. And I was told surgery needed to happen immediately.I left that appointment in complete denial. I tried to keep doing life like “normal,” but by November the pain had me walking with a cane. A second opinion confirmed what I didn’t want to hear—except this time, the doctor actually saw me. He didn’t just see a chart. He let me feel all my emotions. He prayed with me. He made me feel human again.This is the story of how I ended up having hip surgery right after Thanksgiving, the unexpected peace God gave me, and the card from my surgeon that I’ll never forget—with Exodus 14:14 written on it.If you’ve ever felt dismissed by doctors, blindsided by your body, or seen only in crisis—this one’s for you.