A little nervous about the total replacement, advice please.

I am 48 and have RA since age 12.  I have had both elbows reconstructed a few years back.  Wrist joints are fused and locked straight from the RA.  Fingers are crooked and damaged.  I take a lot of Medications.  However, I have always been able to cope with the pain until now.  I am scheduled for a total replacement  in July.  I wasn't nervous until I read these posts.  I can bend my elbow with some loss in motion but when I go to straighten it I have to take a deep breath count to 3 then push it with my other arm grit my teeth and suffer intense pain for about 5 seconds.  I know it needs to be done but I'm not hearing many good responses on this forum.  Yikes!  Can I get a little positivity here?  

Hi cindy80039. I’m 32 (RA since 14) and having to consider a total elbow replacement. Seeking some success stories too, but I take it the lack of response to your query 5 months ago suggests there aren’t many :-( 

....did you have the surgery and how are you doing? Kind Regards Rhienna