Victoria's Profile

I was diagnosed with MVP with regurgitation when we learned that my daughter had the condition. Haley was diagnosed during her 8 year old sports physical. We were active duty at the time and we were sent to Walter Reed Army Hospital to see a pediatric cardiologist. This news shocked us to our cores and then I learned I had the condition. Imagine I had 3 normal pregnancies, not even knowing! Fast forward to age 56 in 2020. I noticed I was getting short of breath upon my normal exercise regiments. I had done the GAP (greater allegheny passage) trail ride from Pittsburgh to DC with friends (300 miles) and I had trained on the hills in Pittsburgh while my friends trained in Texas on flat roads. I could not keep up with them. I knew something was changing. I kept up with my cardiology appointments. About one year ago (Valentine's Day), I went to a heart workshop sponsored by UPMC and received more updated information to my own condition. I met a new cardiologist and scheduled an appointment with him. I ended up getting another opinion by Dr. Badhwar at WVU and was put on a COVID waiting list for my surgery, a mitral valve repair surgery. My surgery was on June 18, 2020 and I spent 7 nights in ICU at WVU during COVID. Thankfully, my daughter, Haley was with me for most of my time in the hospital. I feel wonderful now.