Living With Aortic Disease From The Patient’s Perspective

 You’re Not Alone!

And You Can Get Your Life Back On Track.

There are lots of helpful people out there, who’ve been through it and worse.

They understand how you feel.

They know what you need to know, if you, a family member or friend, are living with aortic disease.

Please fill out the brief survey: Much of my work is related to aging, and how we can enjoy our “golden years,” whatever comes along. If you want to guide my work on aging, please fill out this simple eight-question survey. This provides me with the guidance I need to focus on the real problems of interest to others, such as yourself. Just click the survey button to the right of your screen (desktop) or bottom of this post (smartphone).

By the way, there are over 1,100 posts on this blog. You can use the search button to find subjects of interest.

Here are some useful aortic disease sites.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Awareness Facebook Page

Living With An Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Facebook Page

Have a heart stent, go to this link

Have aortic dissection, go to this site

Have an aortic arch aneurysm, requiring open heart surgery, read this book

There is more information at this link, though it always needs updating

Wondering why there’s so much stuff on ‘plantar fasciitis?” It’s a hobby of mine

Dealing with a thoracic aortic aneurysm, and possibly open heart surgery? Read Benjamin’s inspiring book.

Weird things happening to your blood pressure after stent placement? You’re not alone. I reported my stent-induced hypertension (220/120) to the FDA.

Once you get your feet back on the ground, it’s time to get your life back on track. Include exercise in this process. It’s Ironman training that keeps me out of assisted living (a common joke amongst older triathletes). Here is one approach to returning to exercise, even a sport, safely:

Build your training plan around your benefit risk assessment.

Wondering whether to have open surgery for a replacement graft (dangerous for your sex-life in men) or a stent graft? Talk to Pauline and others on the AAA Awareness Group Page.

It’s not the surgeon’s job to tell us how to handle living with aortic disease. That’s up to us. Furthermore, they’re really busy saving other people’s lives. We have to work out how to get back on with our lives.

Remember: A life without risk, is no life at all.

Just signed up for the Cozumel Ironman.

I must be crazy!

Wishing you happy trails,

kev aka FitOldDog

PS There are over 1,100 posts on this blog. Just use the search box to find a topic that interests you.