My cardiologist and surgeon have been watching my ascending aortic aneurysm for more than a decade. Things seemed to be stable but now I am told that it has been growing and is now at 4.9 or 5 cm. It is time for surgery. My surgeon is in St. Paul and I live in the western suburbs of Minneapolis, which will make follow-up care a hassle for me and for most of my family who will provide support. So I am looking for someone who practices on the west side of the Twin Cities. I'm thinking about someone at Abbott Northwestern or Fairview Southdale. I would absolutely love to have this surgery at Mayo in Rochester, but that only amplifies the distance issues. (If anyone from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area has had this surgery at Mayo, I would really appreciate hearing about how you handled follow-up and therapy.) Can anyone recommend a surgeon? I would also like to hear about experiences at any of these hospitals. My insurance allows for a second opinion, but I get only one shot at this so I would appreciate having as much information as possible before deciding on a surgeon and hospital. If anyone has experience at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, I would appreciate hearing about that too. Thanks.