Quantum Entanglements

So what is Arthritis and a THR?
There are many different forms of Arthritis, some dreadful in their manifestation and I have no idea how people cope with them.  Fortunately, I have the simplest form, Osteoarthritis. Degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone, most common from middle age onward but not always. Many get it at a very early age and there is no real answer why. Simplest guess would be 'genetics' and 'lifestyle' but mostly 'luck'.

Degeneration means, the cartilage (the duvet, spring or sponge that absorbs shock) wears away and leaves the bone exposed to damage.

A THR is a total hip replacement; a mechanical artifact, inserted into your body to replace the worn out parts. A partial Terminator, a partial 'I Robot', Heinlein fantasies mixed with current science. They also come in a multitude of guises, forms and methods. Some have been found to be dangerous, poisoning us with their leaking, seeping, insidious metallic fragments, some clunk, some work.

Already so many parts of me are buried in seperate graves that when I finally shuffle off, there will be multiple ceremonies across the country. I like that. Wakes Galore :) Present count is 4. How many more will I be able to celebrate; will there be enough of 'me' to bury, to still count as 'me'? A 'Nietzscheian' Question?

Is it wrong to celebrate the loss of a body part? To party; drink and dance on it's grave?

Doctors need to be more aware of the impact of Osteoarthritis. It is not a 'life threatening' illness but it is 'life limiting'. Prompt treatmeant and support should be standard but sadly isn't.

There are so many people affected by this; so cruel is the impact. Not in big ways; more like the Chinese Curse 'Death of 1000 cuts'. Each cut is paper thin but together, they build, interact like a Venn Diagram of Pain to limit life, limit freedom, limit our potential.

When you get home from work and your choices are; sit, sit or sit (if you're lucky) or no dinner as you're too exhausted to eat, or cook, clean and help family (my hats doffs to you) then life loses its gloss.

Women in particular with Arthritis apply more lip gloss, not just to their mouths, but to their lives as well. They are brave.

We perform; we act. Our life is a matinee. We deserve our Oscar.