My journey began just over 8 years ago. I am now 51, I have so far survived 3 aortic surgeries. 6 other surgeries to correct some issues of those 3 major aortic surgeries.
I've had my ascending aorta replaced in an emergency surgery no one, not even the medical team that took me off of the Life Flight, thought I'd survive.
This was In April 2016. My second major surgery was in November of the same year and they replaced my descending aorta. In between that, I had surgeries to put in mesh within my entire torso, vocal cord surgery, which were rather taxing surgeries. A few others that were minor.
It was October 2018 when I had my third aortic replacement surgery. This was my last major surgery where so many things got even more intense than the previous ones. After replacing my abdominal aorta and doing a lot of graphs to connect everything in that area, I bled out 3 days later taking 42 units of blood while they opened me back up to surgically stop the bleeding. Two weeks after that a hematoma caused me to become completely paralyzed from the waist down. After several weeks I started to gain partial mobility and feeling in my legs. I had to learn how to walk all over again and endure months of physical therapy.
I'm beyond thankful, humbled, and extremely happy to be walking on this side of heaven. In the last 6 years since my last surgery I have stopped using my cane and I'm back to riding my motorcycle. The ultimate blessing and gift God gave me through all this is the opportunity to continue raising my son on my own. He was 11 when this medical journey of mine began and he is now 20 and in college.
I thank God every day that I can still see my son's amazing smile, watch him grow up into the fine young man he is, and experience all the dad moments he has given me. I know I didn't deserve whatever mercy was bestowed upon me but I will forever be grateful. I don't know anyone else who has gone through anything like this and I only pray they are blessed in the same way.
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