I know how stressful it is to hear that your mom has an aortic aneurysm, especially one that’s already at 8 cm. That’s a ticking time bomb in medical terms, and I don’t say that lightly.

To put it bluntly: she should not fly. At that size, the risk of rupture is dangerously high, and the altitude, cabin pressure changes, and prolonged immobility could all make things worse. A ruptured aortic aneurysm mid-flight is almost always fatal because there’s no immediate surgical intervention available at 35,000 feet.

If she absolutely must travel, it must be done under strict medical supervision—likely with a medical evacuation flight that has the right equipment and personnel on board. Even then, most vascular surgeons would likely advise against it until she’s stabilized or had surgery.

The best course of action? Get her evaluated by a cardiovascular surgeon ASAP where she is. At 8 cm, she’s already past the typical surgical threshold (usually around 5.5-6 cm for most patients) and needs urgent intervention.

Bottom line: flying commercially is not an option. Get her to the nearest major hospital with vascular surgery capabilities, then explore safe medical transport options after her treatment.

I know this isn’t the answer you were hoping for, but this is a life-or-death situation. Stay strong, and push for immediate medical care. Peace.