crhp194 (@crhp194)

I was age 72 when I had the surgery in May 2016. I have had no problems whatsoever and live as I did before the surgery. After 4 weeks, I started rehab which went very well. Since then, I am able to do anything I want to do. Good luck to you! The surgery is scary but easier than you think. There’s only about 5 days of discomfort and that is well handled with some painmeds ut mostly Tylenol.

I had the open surgery at Mayo at age 72 and while I was scared, everythng worked out very well. Went home after 8 nights and did very well. I was in the hospital a bit longer than most because my oxygen levels dropped at night. Had oxygen at home at night which was very easy to do for about a week.
I could do most anything after two weeks but didn’t exercise until four weeks after the surgery. At that time, I was enrolled in cardiac rehab and had no problems. Try not to worry as there are good answers in the medical community should your aneurysm grow. Best to you.

Please don’t worry too much. Mayo’s heart and vascular doctors are the very best. I had a large aneurysm and even before I finished the tests like yours, I was scheduled for surgery. Not only are the surgeons so very skilled, they are also extremely kind and caring. I had no problems and the recovery was not nearly as painful or as bad as I thought it would be. Take care and good luck to you. You are in wonderful hands!

So glad you are going to Mayo. Am sure that the docs there will refer you to a cardiologist based on your previous tests. As I understand it, Mayo does not do surgery until the aneurysm is around 5, I believe. I had one much larger than that and had open heart surgery in Rochester. Your aneurism is still small. You might want to take your test results/ films with you to Mayo or call and ask them how to fax them to the right department. That’s what I did.
In the meantime, try not to worry. Mayo will advise you correctly. The best of luck to you. Hope to hear from you after your Mayo appointment. Carol

I understand that aortic aneurysms can run in families. If I were you, I would ask a doctor about a test to determine whether or not you have one. If your mother and your aunt still have theirs, they are probably small enough to watch rather than surgical repair. It’s a watch and wait situation but a borderline MRA or whatever the doctor recommends would at least let you know whether or not you need to watch and wait.

I did not have the anxiety as my tests and surgery were all done within a week and I had no time to think. Still now is the time to be good to yourself, take it easy, meditation and yoga may help. Put yourself first for a change. Take care and best of luck and happiness to you!

I had open surgery.

It was done in Rochester, MN. I was very happy with the after treatment there.