I had a sudden Type A aortic dissection in 2015 that came on with absolutely no warning and very nearly killed me. One moment I was fine, the next my life was on the line. I had no idea anything was wrong with my aorta, no chance to prepare, no chance to plan. Emergency open-heart surgery and a Dacron graft are the only reason I’m still here. So when I say this, I mean it plainly and without sugarcoating it: the fact that you know about your aneurysm is a real gift. I would have given anything to have had that knowledge. Awareness changes everything. Knowing you have an aortic aneurysm in advance is like knowing the ice ahead of you is thin. You can stop, back off slowly, and avoid falling through. I didn’t have that option. My ice gave way without warning.

Because I didn’t know, my surgery happened as an emergency while I was on a business trip in San Diego instead of planned, on my terms, at home in Minneapolis with my family prepared and the right supports lined up. That difference matters more than people realize until they’ve lived it.

Watch and wait isn’t passive. It’s how you stay alive long enough to make good decisions. Blood pressure control, avoiding heavy straining and breath-holding, staying active in smart ways, and keeping up with imaging all buy you time and control. They let you live your life while staying out of danger. I’m doing great nearly 10 years out. I work, travel, exercise, and enjoy my life. There is absolutely life after aortic surgery. The trick is timing it so it’s done deliberately, not as a crisis, and so you and your family are prepared for what comes after. Peace. (Me and my 17-year daughter looking at colleges this month)