- Aortic aneurysm
- Interviews
Donald's interview
How did all start?
Noticed shortness of breath while training in the gym. Incident while cutting grass took me to emergency where they discovered the aneurysm.
Do you already have a diagnosis? How long did it take you to get it?
The original diagnosis called for surgery immediately. However, due to miscommunication and poor imaging, the institution to do the surgery cancelled saying not suitable (too small). The subsequent center of excellence indicated otherwise but by that time I had deteriorated and was told I was no longer fit for surgery because of the unfortunate delay. I have been on watch for 4 years and am at 5.7 cm root, 5.1 cm ascending, 4.5 proximal arch and 4.0 mid arch and 3.5 descending arch. I have mobility and breathing issues.
For what medical specialties have you been treated? What has been the most useful specialty for your?
Drug therapy to reduce blood pressure. This was poorly done as too many doctors were involved with contradicting information. It took three years to get it settled with proper scripts and pain medication .
What has been the most useful thing for you so far?
Pain killers to combat the crippling pain.
What have been your biggest difficulties?
Proper information and consulting doctors. Conflicting information based on old or incorrect records then infused with current information to draw wrong conclusions. It has been sorted out but now I am not fit for surgery and regressing.
How has your social and family environment reacted? Have your social or family relationships changed?
Tremendous stress in all areas. Because of mobility and pain issues, quality of life has been reduced to basic survival and predominantly, a shut in status.
What things have you stopped doing?
All activities that involve prolonged standing or walking. Due to bowel issues, I must remain in proximity to easily accessible facilities.
What do you think about the future?
Without surgery there will be little future if any at all. Properly taken care of, I could easily match my father who is 88 having survived a 10 cm AAA rupture and multiple other aneurysms that are inoperable.
So far, which years have been the best years in your life? What have you done during them?
Military career. Traveled the world with business and have been to many interesting and unique places.
What would you like to do if you didn’t have your condition?
Travel through rural communities in isolated areas.
If you had to describe your life in a sentence, what would it be?
It was Forest Gump, now it is Sirious Black and the prisoner of Azkaban.
Finally, what advice would you give to a person in a similar situation?
Get clarity early and do not involve more than one or two institutions. Once the confusion starts, it is a slippery roller coaster of misinformation that is hard to correct.
