Mitro-valve regurgitation

This first unit called body for or STEAM course Disease, was packed. We studied the various systems of the body and how they carry out multiple functions. We then discussed diseases and how they affect different aspects of the body specifically. So, of course, for this assignment we had to identify a disease and what part of the body it hurts. After we did that, we were tasked with interviewing the person with this disease, find out how their daily life was affected, and document it. I chose to interview my dad and get more insight into the struggles of mitral-valve regurgitation, and also find out his experience.

Jimothy’s patient profile:

Jimothy is currently 50 years old and was diagnosed with mitral-valve regurgitation about 8 years ago. His diagnosis was at its urgency stage and if it had continued, he would have been forced to leave two children, a wife, a mother, mother and law, and a flourishing career as a professional practitioner of Chinese medicine.

Jimothy, as a kid, had no issues with his health other than the fact that he had a really fast metabolism and was relatively skinny. He grew up training in a wide array of martial arts and played basketball. He then realized his potential for the arts and went to Columbia college where he refined his skills and took a job at a video game company. He was set to help design slot machine games. Jimothy worked at that company for several years and eventually it became too much for his body as he was overwhelmed mentally. He became stressed and it started to damage the strands holding his mitral valve shut. The mitral valve is a valve that lets blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle in the heart.

After those strands began to wear down, he noticed a difficulty in breathing and lack of energy and was also always finding himself worn out over nothing.”even walking up a small set of stairs was one of the most difficult things for me.” He had no idea why and rushed to the hospital one day. After hoping for some good news, he found out that he needed surgery ASAP or he would die. “I didn’t have time to get scared because it was life or death all in the moment,” he said.

The surgery that Jimothy had to undergo was one where they had to go into his heart and seal his mitral valve. They also had to extract all of the blood that was filling his lungs. The surgery took up to a day and a half not including the rest he needed just to see visitors. After the surgery, he says that he didn't feel any better if not worse. The medication was making him sleepy and taking his energy away. So he switched to a new medicine and fitness routine and now feels better than ever.

Mitral-valve regurgitation:

Mitral-valve regurgitation is a condition caused by environmental entities. This condition describes a scenario where the two strands that are in charge of opening and closing the mitral valve, are damaged. This then causes the mitral valve to remain open all the time and allows blood to seep into the lungs; Causing one to suffocate. “I was having much trouble breathing. A small set of stairs could have me more tired than ever” he says. As you can see in these pictures, the main organs affected are the heart and the lungs.

Shock absorption to the body such as a strike to the chest or a fall from high up could cause one of the strands to break or get damaged leaving one strand or no strands keeping the mitral valve shut. This is one way or in the case of Jimothy it was a matter of stress causing his body to deteriorate quicker. This makes his case environmental. However, nine cases out of ten are of environmental origin but it is very rare for this to be hereditary.

Work Cited:

“Problem: Mitral Valve Regurgitation.” Www.Heart.Org, 2016, www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-valve-problems-and-disease/heart-valve-problems-and-causes/problem-mitral-valve-regurgitation. Accessed 1 Feb. 2020.

‌“Mitral Valve Disease - Symptoms and Causes.” Mayo Clinic,  , 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mitral-valve-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20355107. Accessed 1 Feb. 2020.

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https://www.facebook.com/WebMD. “What Is Mitral Valve Regurgitation?” WebMD, WebMD, 15 Sept. 2016, www.webmd.com/heart-disease/what-is-mitral-valve-regurgitation. Accessed 1 Feb. 2020.

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