Hi everyone. I am writing to you through the grace of God, cause quite frankly, I should not be here. I am a 68 year old woman who looked and felt like nothing could stop me. I have been retired for 7 years and left quite a stressful position. I quit smoking 15 years ago after having suffered a DVT a few days after a long plane journey. At that time, tests indicated that my aorta showed no abnormality and was consistent with my age. My mom had an AAA and had surgery at 87 years old but unfortunately, the operation was too much for her frail system and she passed away. I have been taking statines for my cholesterol for some years.

In June 2025 I was reading when I felt an acute back ache on my left side. I got up hoping to ease the pain when after a few minutes the pain radiated to my abdomen.
The pain finally got so intense I slumped to the floor. After refusing an ambulance as I thought the pain would subside, my husband called them anyway. I got up from the floor and made my way to the bed waiting for the ambulance to arrive. EMT's diagnosis was kidney stones but after an abrupt drop in blood pressure and visible pulsation in my left quadrant it was determined I had an AAA and was rushed to the hospital where after a scan they determined I had a 9,2 cm (yes, not a typo) aneurism in the midst of rupture, together with 2 smaller ones, 3.8 cm and 3.2 cm, and to top it off, horseshoe kidneys that were obstructing the field. The hospital I was brought to did not have a vascular surgeon, so I was put in another ambulance and rushed to another hospital 30 km away. My family was advised at that time that I would probably not survive the trip.

Upon arrival at the next hospital, I was quickly rushed to the OR but not before the surgeon woke me up to tell me he would do his best but could make no promises and asked if I understood. My only thought at the time was no matter what happens just make the pain stop. And to say that I felt fine 2 hours before, now, no one knows if I will live or die.

After surgery, my family was told the next 24 to 72 hours would be critical and due to the fact that I had lost more than 3.5 litres of blood, I could suffer impairements.

Well I did make it cause here I am. The kidneys were surgically seperated without consequence, the aorta was replaced and I was left with a scar from my sternum to my pelvis.

The surgery was quite hard to recover from. No appetite, sever fatigue, anxiety attacks and the constant feeling that the grim reaper would return for me. 10 months in, if not for the scar, I feel fine but wake up sometimes at night and relive the scenario again in my head. I am on mild medication for high blood pressure, statines and mild blood thinners. My 2 smaller aneurisms will be monitored yearly and I have decided that the experience will not keep me down. If this is the way I will go, then so be it. Life is too short!