I had to circle back to this one here to say thank you for the laugh!
I woke up in the middle of the night a few years ago with severe pain in my left chest and arm. My wife called 911 and off I went to the hospital. It turned out to be a pulled muscle (don’t ask me how I managed that in my sleep), nothing heart related, but everybody at the hospital and the Heart Institute told me over and over to ALWAYS call 911 for anything like that. As one doctor put it, he’d much rather be telling me that there was nothing wrong than be signing my death certificate.
Did they give you a hugging pillow for when you have to cough or sneeze? When my dad went through his assorted open-chest procedures, he kept that thing close during the weeks-long recuperations because apparently it hurts like a mother to stress your chest like that without external support.
Oh yes, a big red heart-shaped one. I was using it in the hospital right after surgery. They also gave me a ‘chest hugger’, a contraption of straps and velcro with a pair of handles that when worn, hugs my torso. I can use the handles to squeeze that chest hugger as needed for increased external support of the rib cage. Both have been extremely useful.
I’m so glad to hear you’re home and dry! It’s almost always a better feeling to be recuperating at home.
I just learned that what I had is called an aortic dissection.
FWIW.
That is what killed my mother-in-law. I’m very happy that yours had such a happy outcome!
A few years back, my son was sick - I forget what it was, but I think he’d thrown up.
He took a nap.
When he woke up, his chest hurt.
He called the nurse line, and they, out of an overabundance of caution (he was a healthy mid-20s at the time) said “ehhhh, probably a good idea to go to the ER”. So I drove him over there.
Let me tell you, the words “chest pain” get you seen FAST - as in, we literally walked up to reception, started telling the tale, and he was whisked into an exam room within 60 seconds while I filled out the paperwork.
He was fine - he’d had an EKG by the time I got the paperwork finished. I think the end theory was some kind of muscle strain due to the projectile hurling. The cherry on the sundae was when they asked him “do you feel safe at home?” (I snickered, and stepped out of the room, in case he wanted to answer something he didn’t want me to hear; as I was not arrested, he evidently told them he was fine).
Back to the OP: Bullitt - Egad!!! I think your “drove yourself” tops my BIL’s - he just had appendicitis. Glad we aren’t seeing your name in the In Memoriam thread, though it sounds like you were sure trying!!
Yeah, clearly I’ll have to try harder. I’m really glad your son is alright. I’m more glad that he feels safe at home. 
Marines are notoriously hard to kill.
Not impossible mind you; just very, very hard.
My dad was always asked that while I was in the room. One time he asked me if I got asked that too, and I shrugged because it’d been so long since I’d had an emergency appointment.
But a few months after he died I fell off a ladder and did some significant but fortunately not permanent damage to my knee. And I was asked “do you feel safe at home?” What could I say? “I live alone so yes, except around ladders.” I at least got a smirk out of the nurse 
I hope you have a speedy recovery, OP!
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms run in my family.
My maternal grandmother had one. It was the emphysema that finished her, but we all knew the aneurysm was lurking in the background.
My mother had one. She had a partial repair, but her surgeon said the rest of her aorta was in bad shape. Afew years later, she had surgery on the rest of her aorta. The surgery was too much for her body, and she just faded away.
I’ve been told my risk of having the aneurysm is very high. I have used the Life Scan company for aortic scans, and so far, things look okay. I don’t smoke or drink, which are major plusses. I do have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, but I take medication, and they are well-controlled.
I dread the thought that my body (which turned 70 last December) may one day decide it’s tired and perhaps the aorta is past its warranty period.
~VOW
If you are controlling your BP well, and if you don’t smoke or drink, those are major risk factors you are eliminating. You’re taking good care of your aorta and extending its mileage.
It turns out that my BP wasn’t as well controlled as I thought it was. I’m also carrying more than a few extra pounds, so there’s that but I’ve been making good progress on that so far.
I see my surgeon today for the first time since. A followup. I’m reviewing his notes now and after todays appointment I’ll have a better idea what happened.
But for now I’m catching some terms from his notes. I’ll share them but most won’t care about this level of detail.
ascending aortic dissection and aortic root aneurysm; a tear 2mm above the margin of the right coronary artery and extending all the way to the junction of the right and noncoronary cusp; involving the peak of the cusp and it allowed the aorta to prolapse, causing severe aortic valve regurgitation ➜ emergency aortic root reconstruction
severe aortic valve regurgitation: the aortic valve doesn’t close tightly, resulting in some of the blood pumped out of your heart’s main pumping chamber (left ventricle) leaks backward ➜ valve replacement, aortic valve left ventricle
the dissection did not go very far, it was locally around the right coronary and around the junction of the right and noncoronary cusps, and did not extend down the aorta
I’m at risk for this too and am not on a formal diet but have been steadily losing some weight. But I’m sure my BP is still a problem. I’m 62 and have issues that make exercise a challenge. But again, I’m trying to head in the right direction.
I’m dialed in to what your docs tell you, @Bullitt, so maybe I can prevent dealing with the same. My Internist isn’t as worried about it as I am, because she doesn’t live in my body. My heart has told me to eat more legumes and less dairy so that’s what I’m doing. I slip up, but my heart is getting fewer pains and yesterday I even had some real energy to get stuff done. A good thing because my condo is going on the market and I’ve got work to do.
@VOW My cholesterol is regulated and my diet has improved, but depression and anxiety are not doing blood pressure any favors. I haven’t been able to meditate in months and I’ve always relied on meditation to help control my anxiety and heart rate. I’m thinking that I’m up for blood pressure medication next. And hopefully some therapy for my brain, to calm it down.
Life may not always be fun, I don’t know if the alternative is either.
My journey continues…
Thanks again, everyone, for the well wishes! That aortic dissection and PTFE aortic graft was 3 years ago and thankfully, my journey on this earth continues. I have dropped 135 pounds and am nearing my initial goal of reaching my Marine Corps weight limit. 25 more pounds to go. I joined a gym 2+ years ago and have been working with a trainer to get back into the PT habit. Bad habits are hard to break and correct! Ahh, the human condition.
Once I reach my Marine Corps weight limit I’ll work on losing about 25 more pounds because I know at my age, 64, my body composition is very different than it was when I was 32 and left the Marines — I have much less muscle mass now. I’m still on a boat load of meds and, working with my cardiologist and primary care physician, am working to reduce or eliminate those.
God almost called me home back on 2023-01-24 but thankfully He changed His mind and decided I’m to remain here for a little while longer to keep helping my fellow man some more. Correcting homelessness and gun violence are some of my projects.
It’s easy for me to take our days for granted. I’m reminding myself to be thankful and grateful for a little more time here, and to continue doing a little good each day to try and leave this earth a little better than it is. CAYG, Clean As You Go, as the old McDonald’s employee slogan was when I worked there in high school and college.
Thank you again fellow Dopers. You guys are great.
So glad you’re doing well! A great big hug from South Texas!
Hugs back at ya @ThelmaLou ! I may be visiting Texas soon and if I do I’ll reach out and we can share a hug. Hugs are the best medicine!
Correction: the graft was PETE, dacron; not PTFE.
Post a pic of the new you (or PM me). I might not recognize you!
Glad you’re doing so well.
Admiration to you @Bullitt - my father (87) has been frustratingly fatalistic in his health care. I will grant he’s made some changes over the years, but too often he is slow, stubborn or reluctant to do things that require him to change his habits. Glad you’re sticking to yours!