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Established April 15, 1995
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My name is Anne Bennett. I am 56 yrs. old, married for 10 yrs. I have 3 wonderful children from a previous marriage, 1 son and 2 daughter's. I have 4 grandchildren and 2 step-grandchildren. I come from a pretty large family of 5 brother's and I am the only girl. My brother's are all older than I am. We have a family history of heart problems, but so far I have been the only one with an aortic aneurysm. I was employed for 20 yrs. at General Motors. Thank the good Lord I was, because I have wonderful insurance and a very good retirement. The Lord has been very good to me in so many ways. I am very blessed to have such a wonderful, supporting husband and family. Other than my aneurysm I am in pretty good health. Oh, I do have the usual aches and pains of aging. Arthritis, etc. But all in all, I do pretty well. I enjoy cooking, making wreaths, painting, playing on the computer, shopping and whatever else I can find to do. I live in Indiana. I was born and raised here and I am sure I will die here. I do have a very good life.
13 April 1999
I found out in March of 1992 that I have a Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm. It is quite large, 4.9cm, and I was told that it was inoperable. I was crushed and scared to death. I was told I had to retire from my job, which was a factory job at General Motors. I had been employed at G.M. for just under 20 years. At the time I was 49 years old, a very heavy smoker and had only been married for 3 years. I immediately gave up the cigarettes, of course. That was not an easy thing to do. But I knew I had to do it if I wanted to live.
I felt like I needed another opinion, so I went to The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota for another opinion. They agreed with my doctors here, so I settled into retirement life. I really don't think my doctor felt I would live this long, but I intend to live a lot longer. I am on Cardizem and Corgard. I also take lots of vitamins. I ended up gaining way too much weight after I quit smoking. So now that is my new problem.
We are keeping a very close eye on my aneurysm and I know it would help a lot if I lost this weight. I have gained 50 pounds. I started on a weight loss program last week and already have dropped 6 pounds. So, hopefully I can get this off and live many more years. I am trying to walk everyday also, but I have some arthritis in my legs, so some days it is harder than others.
I have a lot of faith in God that I will live to see my grandchildren grow up. They are 8, 6, 5 and 3 years of age. They are the lights of my life, as are my children. I have a son and 2 daughters that are also very precious to me. But the most important person in my life is my wonderful husband who has stood by me through all of this. He is 12 years younger than I am and the greatest husband anyone could ask for.
I am trying to live a very normal life, but there is not a day goes by that I don't stop and think about what is inside my body. It is very scary, but there's nothing I can do about it but pray a lot. And believe me I do. Thank you for listening, and for your interest.
Update 14 Nov 1999
I went to my yearly appt. to my cardiologist and my aneurysm has not changed in size at all. It has now been 7-1/2 yrs. and it has not grown at all. Thank God for that! I have been having some other problems, such as shortness of breath, so I am going on the 24th of Nov. for an echo-gram and have everything checked out. Other than that and battling my weight everything is pretty good. The important thing is I am still alive and living a pretty good life.
Update 10 Mar 2000
Went to the Dr. in Feb. for my 6 month check-up and the aneurysm has still never changed size. He said everything looked good and sounded good. So I feel very blessed. My arthritis on the other hand isn't good at all. Went to the orthopedic Dr. today and I'm starting some therapy next week for about 3 or 4 weeks. If that doesn't help then they are going to start some kind of injections. I always thought the "50's" were suppose to be the best times of our lives, but I'm not so sure. My body is falling apart piece by piece.(HA)
Update 7 Dec 2000
I had my yearly CT Scan and saw my cardiologist this week. Everything remains the same. No change. Thats a really good thing! Praise God!! So this means that in 8 years the size has not ever changed. Needless to say I thank the good Lord for this everyday. I have read so many horror stories about ruptures, etc. that it sure makes me very thankful.
I am still fighting the weight problem. I was recently diagnosed with diabetes. It's not real bad, but I have been on some medicine. It's not really agreeing with me, so we will probably be trying a new one the next trip to the doctor.
I have decided that "old age" is not what its cracked up to be. I tell all my friends that are younger than me that when you turn "fifty", its all maintenance from then on.
Thanks to all the concerned people who write to me. I have made some new and great friends through this website. God Bless all of you!
Update 23 Jul 2001
I wanted to send a quick update on myself. Last wednesday, July 18th, I was in a pretty bad car accident. A young girl pulled out in front of me and I smacked her really hard. It totaled her car and we aren't sure yet if mine is totaled or not. anyway, thank god I am alive.
My air bag did not deploy and we do not know why. I have always had a fear of having an accident and the air bag coming out smacking me in the chest so hard that my aneurysm would rupture. My doctor told me it was possible. But thank the Lord I am alive. So it was kind of a catch 22 situation. on one hand we don't know why it didn't come out, and on the other hand we were thanking God it didn't.
I am badly bruised everywhere. I have swollen knees, scrapes, bruises and bumps everywhere, but am home and thankful. My doctor checked my aneurysm, but thinks I should get it checked again in a month just to be safe. The size of it has never changed yet, and I'm hoping this didn't stir anything up.
Thanks, and anyone who has a 1999 Chevrolet Blazer should probably have their air bags checked.
Update 3 Oct 2001
Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that for the last 8-1/2 yrs. I have thought that my aneurysm was a 4.9cm. My Dr. informed me that I was wrong, it was only a 4.6cm. I have a different Dr. now and I don't know why the other Dr. told me that, but I was always under that assumption. Now the bad news. It has started to grow. It has grown from a 4.6 to a 4.8. I asked him if was due to the car accident and he said he could not say it was or it wasn't for sure. He said that aneurysm's generally grow eventually, and that's why we check every so often. But I think its pretty strange that it hasn't grown in almost 9 years and all of a sudden I have a car accident and it started growing. Anyway, he said that if it gets to a 5cm then we will have to consider doing surgery whether we want to or not. He said it would not be easy, but if we have to do it we will. I said I don't know, its my decision. So for now, we wait again.
I will have another CT Scan on Dec. 3rd to check it again. In the meantime I am turning it all over to the Lord and just pray it doesn't grow anymore. Everyone please keep me in your prayers!
Thanks to everyone who has written me and all the new friends I have made just through this wonderful website.
God Bless You All,
Update 14 Jan 2002
I saw the cardiologist last Tuesday and my aneurysm has not grown anymore. Thank god! He wants to do another ct scan in 6 mos. and if that one is okay, then we will go to a year before doing it again.
I am feeling pretty good. Still having a problems with my knee and arthritis, but had a cortizone shot in it and that helped a lot. That's been over a month ago and I think its starting to wear off now, because it is starting to hurt again. I have started weight watchers. (again!!) I feel very motivated this time so I hope I can keep it up and get this weight off. I know that will help me to feel better. I have a brother, who also has an aneurysm, and he has lost over 40 lbs so far on it.
All in all I'm not too bad. At least I'm alive and that is a lot to be grateful for. I do truly feel blessed.
Thank you to everyone who has written me and best wishes to all in the new year. I hope every- one has a wonderful year ahead of them.
God bless you all,
Update: 29 Aug 2002
Went to see my cardiologist the 1st of Aug. and everything was still doing good. My aneurysm has not grown anymore. He was concerned that my b.p. has been a little higher than it usually is, so he put me on more b.p. meds.(just what i needed-ha) I still just feel so blessed and so fortunate, after reading so many narrative's that are so full of dismay. I don't have to have another ct scan for 6 months now and don't have to see him for 1 year.
Still working on the weight problem. Not as much as I should though. It is just so difficult when you love to cook and love to eat. My cardiologist sort of got on me about my weight, so I really do need to work harder at it.
Thanks to everyone for being so supportive. Its so nice to be able to relate to other people with the same problem's.
God bless,
Update: 27 Aug 2003
I went to the cardiologist yesterday and was told everything is fine and remains the same. Praise the lord!! Its been going on twelve years now since my aneurysm was discovered and it has only changed its size one time and that was just a tiny bit. So I feel very, very blessed.
Other than the usual aches and pains with my arthritis I'm doing pretty good for an "old woman." Yes, I turned sixty years old this year, so somedays I feel it and other days I feel like I'm about 40.
My doctor told me yesterday that I did not have to come back to see him for a year. I have been seeing him every 6 months for 11 year now and he feels that since I'm doing so well that I don't need to see him anymore for a year. Thats great!!! He also told me that he hopes I lose some of this weight before I come back!! (ha!!) He has told me that for quite some time now. Maybe one of these days I will surprise him (and everyone else).
Update: 27 August 2004
Just wanted to update you. I went last week for my annual CT scan. everything still remains the same. I can't believe it. Its been 12 yrs. now and in all that time my aneurysm has only grown a tiny bit. God is great!! He sure is taking good care of me. I do feel so blessed.
I go to the cardiologist next week, which I'm dreading. Simply because I know he's going to get on me about my weight. Oh well, I will promise him once again, as I always do, that I will get this weight off. (ha!!) He knows me well enough by now than to believe that.
God bless everyone,
Update: 25 October 2005
I went to see my cardiologist today. I had my yearly ct scan last week. He said everything remains the same. Still no change in the size.
I don't know why I remain so fortunate, in that my aneurysem has not changed sizes in a long time. But I am very grateful. I know that there are so many people, even within our "aneurysm family", that have not been as blessed as I have been. So I am very thankful and pleased.
God bless everyone on this site.
Update: 7 November 2005
Just a quick update. I saw my cardiologist 3 weeks ago and had my CT scan a few days before that. Everything is still going well. My aneurysm has grown a little tiny bit, but he said not even enough to matter. So I am still feeling blessed. Its been 13 yrs. now with no significant change in size.
Thanks to everyone who has written to me with so many words of encouragement.
Update: 11 October 2006
I saw my cardiologist today and everything remains the same. After all the horror stories I have read, I really am feeling blessed. It has been 14 yrs. now and my aneurysm remains the same. Also, I have lost 30 llbs. and still losing. I have about 30 more to go. I have been attending Weight Watchers now for about 6 months. My Doctor was very proud of me today.
I had been having problems with my sugar. They diagnosed me as borderline diabetic, but guess what? Even those numbers are coming down. So, my blood work looked good, my C.T. Scan looked good and my weight is doing really good. Before long I might be a whole new woman. Ha!
Blessing to all.
Update: 20 October 2007
I had my yearly CT Scan and appt. with Cardiologist this week and all was well. The aneurysm has not changed since last year, thank God for that. So this is 15 yrs. now without any complications or having to have surgery. I truly do feel blessed.
My Doctor wants me to go through some tests for my heart next week. He feels it is important because of my age (64) and my family history of heart problems. In the past 18 months I have had two brothers who had bypass surgery and one of them died. My mother died of heart problems several years ago. So there is clearly a family history there.
Thanks for all of the support from everyone.
God Bless.
Update: 16 December 2008
I saw my cardiologist last week & everything remains the same. So I am truly feeling blessed. It will be 17 yrs. in March 09 when my aneurysm was discovered. It remains the same size. I am still leading a somewhat normal life (whatever that is).
I am still fighting my weight problem & arthritis, but I will be 66 yrs. old in March and I just feel very fortunate to be alive. I attribute it all to God & all the prayers of my family & friends. Thanks to you good people for keeping the website up & going.
Update: 29 October 2009
I went to the Dr. on Monday of this week & got a good report. Once again, my aneurysm has not changed in size at all. It has been over 17 yrs. since it was discovered. So, like the title of my narrative, I am feeling blessed.
I had a couple of scares recently & wound up in the E.R., but everything turned out okay in the end.
But because of that, my Dr. thinks he would like to keep a closer eye on me for awhile, so he is having me get my CT scan every 6 months now instead of every year. He did mention something about age, not sure exactly what that meant. lol.....maybe because I'm almost 67 yrs. old. Gosh, that can't be possible, I still feel a lot younger than that.
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