Re: which came first, the allergies or the disease? (edited)

 Now, a few years later, she has apparently "no catilage" left in her hip sockets. The doctors say it's the worst they've seen. which sounds hyperbolic... but anyway, she's to get hip replacement soon.

It is rare that there would be no cartilage left. Usually what happens is the prominent points wear away the cartilage between them, but cartilage still remains around the edges where it is not being ground away. I would really try to rebuild the cartilage before going in for a hip replacement. Hip replacements are temporary and usually fail around 10 years down the line, although I have heard of a lot of failures around 5 years afterward.

The Bone and Joint stimulates cartilage formation:

http://www.mountainmistbotanicals.com/formulas/b_j.htm

Or at least get her on gelatin, silica and vitamin C. It will be a little slower but it should do the trick.