I had an emergency aortic dissection work… Ascending, just over 6 cm. Cardiac arrest two weeks after with staples still in my sternum. Have had two more subsequent surgeries, each one larger than the last.
There are effects that only people who have experienced something like that can tell you about. I personally have gone through major depressive episodes, currently suffer from PTSD, and worry that there is a time bomb in my chest.
That said, I’ve never been given such a gift, such clarity, and such a wonderful outlook on life that only a small handful of people can truly understand. It’s much more nuanced and deeper that I could ever put in this comment, but I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.