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Lindsay Graham Aorta Dissection
Aortic Aneurysms | Last Active: 4 hours ago | Replies (14)Comment receiving replies
I had a full aortic dissection in 2015. I, unlike Senator Graham, survived it. While I have absolutely nothing in common with the late Senator politically, I will tell you that I shed some tears for him because it's a really terrible terrible way to pass. I hope that he rests in peace. I also hope that everybody on this listserv takes aortic health as seriously as they possibly can. I can assure you, that when you have a sudden dissection there is a tremendous amount of pain and fear. Every minute counts. You do not have even a second to waste. You are dying and you know it. I don't wish it on anyone. I'm glad that I have the opportunity to least share with some of you the urgency of an aortic dissection and the necessity of taking good care of yourself.
Back in 2015, I had just gotten off a long flight across country and had a very stressful 13 hour day on my feet teaching a class to lawyers before I had a sudden dissection in my hotel room. I have to believe that Senator Graham had at least an equally stressful journey to and from Ukraine back to the United States. I have never forgotten the notion to travel is inherently stressful. Combining that with a very stressful diplomatic mission in the middle of a war was probably more than his heart could take. Lest we forget, a sudden aortic dissection for someone of that age is often lethal.
I am thankful for every moment of the last 11 years I've had on this earth. They are bonus days and I know it. Peace.
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@moonboy Thank you so much for sharing. My mom was 75 years old and on the church van (even though she was in "perfect health" and drove her car every day). The van stopped at a Braum's Ice Cream store as was normal when returning from a Wednesday evening church service. Mom had been on stage at the church meeting giving a demonstration. No problems. While sitting talking with the other ladies and eating a peach sherbert, she suddenly froze, cried out and fell forward on the table. She lived 4 hours after arriving at the hospital and was able to talk to my brother and to doctors. They told them that she had an ascending aortal aneurysm and were taking her into surgery, but she wouldn't be coming back. (I lived in Louisiana at the time; she and my brother both lived in Tulsa, where I grew up and where I live now). That was the first time we had ever even heard the word "aneurysm." That word has become very important to every member of my family now, including my adult children and grandchildren who have been made aware that it is genetic. Have a blessed day and continue to enjoy every moment of your life.