Mom's heart problem has been found to be an Aortic aneurysm. It is serious. She is waiting now to hear what the surgeons want to do next.

sorry UT and KK. thinking positive thoughts.

Damn UT.

That's pretty bad UT. Might be bypass time?

I hope it all works out ok. xx

Fingers crossed for your mum, UT.

A diagnosis is a start Tony.
Much love to you and the KK.

I feel pretty ill. Sore throat, splitting headache, exhausted. Can't get anything done. Blergh.

I hope your mum will be okay, UT.

A messageboard friend of mine has a 17-year-old son with ulcerative colitis (no neurological symptoms.) He's been symptom-free for 4 years now with the same diet my kids are following.

The other night he picked up a bottle of Dasani water while they were out driving, and chugged half of it before noticing it tasted like soap. Then he doubled over in pain and nausea. They called Poison Control, who told them that they get calls like this on a fairly regular basis; the factory was most likely cleaning the lines and didn't get all the soap rinsed before starting to fill bottles again.

The cleaner is out of his system by now, but it's triggered a full-on flare and they expect it will take at least a month or two before it's healed again. In the meantime he's in too much pain to play sports for basically the rest of the school year.

I understand that it's not rational to hate the entire food manufacturing industry over rare events like this. But I do.

Hi UT.

I am hoping for the best like everyone else for your mom and for you and yours. I don't know about your case "It is serious" but I will tell you my Dad had an aortic aneurysm, about seven centimeters. I was quite alarmed, but it didn't kill him (he died from other causes). The diagnosis in his case was watchful waiting, to my very limited understanding, in order to measure the rate of growth of the aneurysm. Based on that information, decisions as to what to do next could be made.

It sounds and sounded scary as hell, and it is serious. I'm glad everyone's aware of it, that's the best possible situation. What happens after that is decided on a case by case basis. Good luck to her. Hang in there man.

Thank you sir. I read all about it and there are several different kinds. Hers is 6.1cm, but it all depends on where it is. If it's on the ascending part of the aorta, which I think it is, that is indicated to require fixing.

We are all (still) waiting for the cardiac surgeon consult, but I think they are keeping her in hospital during this period for a reason.

You and yours are in my thoughts, UT.

Just as I hit send, the news comes in, it is in fact a thoracic ascending, for which 5.5cm is the level at which they operate.

Now I think we are just waiting for a schedule and how much planning can happen before the operation.

Oh, UT! My thoughts are with you! Sending healing vibes...


Sent by thought transference

Best wishes to you and your family, UT. Keep us updated.

You'll all be in my thoughts UT. xx