How the aneurysm was discovered

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Monday June 8, 2020
While video chatting with my 2nd graders from home I noticed sharp pains on the left side of my chest. The pain increased whenever I laughed or bent down. When my husband, Chuck, and I walked our dog that evening the pain became even more unbearable. I had been biking 60 miles on Sunday and 20 miles daily prior. Why was it suddenly painful to walk to the mailbox?  

Chuck offered to take me to the ER. I called my insurance's nurse hotline and the RN also encouraged me to take chest pain seriously enough to get it checked at the ER. 

We arrived at 7:30pm but due to COVID restrictions the Olympia ER stated that Chuck would need to wait in his car. No one was in the waiting room thankfully so they zipped me back to get an EKG, draw my blood, do a urine test, and take a chest CT scan. 

While I waited for results the nurse brought me four baby Aspirin to alleviate the pain. Thankfully I had cell service so I could update Chuck about the progress.

At 11:30pm the emergency physician came in and explained that they didn't see any blood clots in my lungs but the radiologist did find a 4.6cm ascending aorta aneurysm. She explained that normal aorta size is 2cm and that surgery is needed when the aorta is larger than 5.5cm. Dr. Moody encouraged me to see a cardiologist on Tuesday and I was then discharged. 

aorta aneurysm
Contrast-enhanced CT scan
A= Ascending aorta aneurysm
D= Descending aorta

aorta aneurysmaorta aneurysm
Ascending aorta aneurysm
Location: Washington, USA

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