Addendum: for the first year after surgery I was asking: why me and what did I do to deserve this? And: were there any signs?
There were but of course these are disregarded because we get old and slow down and things just become harder.
A week before dissection we drove and stayed for vacation in another state and a competent hospital was far far away. Scary thought #1.
A few days before I played basketball with young kids and on the court I was bent over suddenly feeling tired and catching my breath. My sister said: gee you are out of shape. Scary thought #2.
A few days later getting ready for sleep I dissected near midnight with a 6.5cm aneurysm. Almost a very long sleep. Scary thought #3.
Of course i looked for signs.
If it had happened a week before I would be gone from this world - a major hospital two hours away.
Trouble swallowing food and pounding my chest after meals to get things moving.
Stopping for breath at the mall during a shopping trip.
The basketball trouble.
Even though I never smoked or drank, wasnt overweight, no family history of anything (both parents over eighty), wasn't an athlete but wasn't incapable either, and really had no medical issues at all.
Sometimes there can be no signs.
Sometimes signs can be misread.
Until the burning stabbing pain that feels like no other.
My sister still thinks three years later that the game with her kids caused my event. I am not sure it did. But it might have got me there faster.