Morgan DiSipio
Contemporary Health II
Professor Powell
4 December 2014
Personal Exploration
Many of the topics we discussed this year related not only to my current life but also to
my future profession. I plan to become a physical therapist in the future. Two topics we covered,
heart health and cancer could definitely be prevalent in my future profession. Heart health is
scene often among physical therapists in the form of stroke. Many studies have shown the
success of physical therapy for stroke victims. Physical therapy is essential because not only
does the stroke damage their brain and ability for action, but after lying in a hospital bed for a
week, muscles have atrophied. Physical therapy for stroke victims helps to build muscle in the
entire body as well as train the brain to learn muscle movements. Stroke victims can also lose
sensory function after a stroke which can be rebuilt through physical therapy. This physical
therapy can take place in the hospital, in a rehabilitation center, or outpatient. Since stroke was
part of the heart health units, I think this topic best related to my life.
Stroke does not only relate to my life through my future profession, I have personal
experience with it as well. About four years ago my grandmother suffered two strokes that
greatly affected her mental capacity while also damaging her physically on the left side of her
body. I spent many afternoons at her house where I was able to observe the physical therapist
that worked with her to strengthen her body. The physical therapist helped my grandmother learn
to walk again, and essentially care for herself. My family and I did not dream of this possibility
after the stroke, but through occupational, speech, and physical therapy, much of my
grandmother’s abilities returned. In no way was this easy for my grandmother but she was able
to feel successful with the results.
Watching the miracles physical therapists can perform on patients who think there is no
hope was an incredible feeling. After seeing my grandmother’s life changed because of physical
therapy, I was inspired to change lives myself. This event sculpted my future. I now know I want
to one day work with brain damaged patients, including stroke victims. I will work with stroke
victims often and learning about heart health has prepared me for this.
This class was definitely helpful for my future profession. I learned more mechanically
about what happens during a stroke which allows me to communicate with my patients better
with knowing their situation. It also helped me understand the caliber at which brain cells are
destroyed. Through this class and my personal experience, I know that smoking can cause
strokes. I think the most helpful thing for our heart health unit was recognizing a stroke. Not only
is this information helpful in my future profession but also in my everyday life. Working with
patients with brain injury, I will need to be able to identify a change in behavior and be extra
attentive with things such as strokes. It is also important to be able to identify stroke with so
many cardiac patients in my family. Learning heart health in this class could help me one day
save a life.