Carry: You are not alone in how you feel. I remember those same fears—wishing someone could just look me in the eyes and tell me I would be OK. When I was 50, I had an aortic dissection in the middle of the night while on a work trip. It ripped open my aorta, and the doctors told me later that most people don’t survive. But here I am, nearly 10 years later. That night changed everything, and I know what it’s like to stare down your mortality.

You are still here. And the fact that they found the aneurysm by MRI means you have a head start. You’re not waiting for a disaster to happen in the dark—you are in the light, working with real information, with doctors who can help. August 28th might feel far away, but you have time. If anything changes before then, you go to the ER. But in the meantime, you breathe. You keep showing up. You are stronger than you know.

I also hear what you said about God's plan. If this were your time, you wouldn’t be reading this. But you are. That means there’s still work to do, people who need your voice, your stories, your light. From one survivor to another: You are going to be OK today. And tomorrow. And the day after that. One sunrise at a time. Peace.