I did not know I had anything this serious. I was told I had an aneurysm just a year earlier. At the time of my accidental discovery, they told me you don't do anything for them, just watch and if it starts getting larger, they would consider surgery. The morning of my dissection my husband and I had coffee outside. I went to the barn. I lifted a bookcase that was in two pieces up the stairs in my barn. Shortly afterwards, when I reached the top of the stairs, I felt short winded, sweaty at the base of my neck, and my eyes felt funny. They tingled and I had flashers. So I walked down the steps and got my husband. He said I didn't look good and took me to the ER. They spent the day doing tests and ruling out a heart attack and stroke. I didn't have many signs that anything that serious was going on. They decided not to release me. Eventually one doctor came in that had seen something like this previously. I Wass sent to Rochester for surgery.
I hope this helps.