Well, just to mention, possibly again, what happened to me. Unlike the doc, the rehab people were very positive, and I returned to the trail about a year and a half after the break. In a series of hikes, I completed southbound sections starting south of Shenandoah, and after that, in another series of sections, headed back to NH to finish the northernmost sections of the trail. Summited Katahdin on the second try in 2018. Not how I had originally planned it, but who cares? There are many ways to enjoy one's senior years. Wishing you well, Illabelle.