I’m also 51 and found out last year I had a TAA 4.1 and also an over thinker. The only thing I can tell you is that is so stressful leaving like this. You have your good days and bad days. Don’t loose your faith and be Thankful and Blessed. We have to live our life to the fullest and do what it makes us happy. Smile and don’t give up.

If you're at all like me, you get used to it. I was freaked out at first too, when I was diagnosed a year ago with a 4.2 ascending aortic aneurysm. Fear is stress and you need to avoid that if you can. Trust your doctors and go easy on yourself. Knowledge is power and you know what you're dealing with and young enough to have surgery when the time comes.

Consider your diagnosis as a BLESSING. That is how you live with it. There are many people out there who have not been diagnosed yet. They too have a ticking time bomb. Unlike you and I, those people do not know they need to keep their B/P very low, not lift heavy weight, not hold their breath diung anything stressful. maintain a heart health y diet and get their personal affairs in order, (Final Will, Healthy Care Power of Attorney, financial information, inform Family members of websites, passwords and on & on). I call this getting My Ducks in a Row. I have been working on this since I was diagnosed at 4.7cm. I am now 5.4 cm and not a good surgical candidate. I have never smoked, drank alcohol, abused drugs, etc. Its just life happens. We are blessed to have the opportunity to "get ready" for what lies ahead, be it surgery or if not a surgival candidate, to live and enjoy life each & every day that we wake up.