When we travel to the US, we see the ads on TV for pharmaceuticals. They all say, "tell your doctor about them." As if he doesn't know. And they have meds for everything, for COPD, for arthritis, for depression, everything. You really see what's going on when you come from a different country.

Fair enough. I know that big pharma is a real concern in the US, but hip and knee replacements are still considered the biggest medical advances in years.

I live in Canada, so maybe my experience is different. I was in real pain before my two hip replacements. Getting out of my van, I would calculate which was less steps, walking by the front or by the back of the vehicle. I winced with every step, and my world was shrinking. Then I had my replacements, a few weeks of relatively easy rehab, and I had a pain-free life. I have no regrets. So before you print some alarmist articles you found, ask some people who went through it. It can change your life.

As it should be, I think of this platform as part writing on spec and part internship. It takes a while to hit your stride and to look carefully at your work. I had an editor a while ago, one that I paid for, and that made a difference. She taught me to look for extra words and sentences, and I took those lessons to heart.