jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Very often getting some kind of help right away can mean the difference between life and death. Here is some information about a stroke, or what is being called a brain attack by some people.

Stroke: Remember the 1st Three Letters..... S. T. R.

Stroke Identification
During a BBQ, Jane stumbled and took a little fall. She assured everyone that she was fine and declined the offer of paramedics). She said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Jane's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital, and at 6:00 PM, she passed away. She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ, and that is why she fell. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within three hours, he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within three hours, which is tough.

Recognizing a Stroke
A bystander can identify a stroke by asking the person to do four simple things:

S - Ask the individual to smile.

T - Ask the person to talk and speak a simple, coherent sentence.

R- Ask him or her to raise both arms.
New one - Have the person stick out his tongue. If the tongue is crooked and cannot be held straight, that is a sign of a stroke.

If he or she has trouble with any one of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

Find the nearest hospital with a stroke center.
http://www.strokecenter.org/

http://www.stroke.org/site/PageNavigator/HOME

Malcolm B Loc: Leicester (UK)

Thanks Jerry, is is always good to be reminded how we can identify someone having a stroke. In the UK we use FAST.

F - Face, has their face fallen to one side? Can they smile?

A - Arms, can they raise both arms and keep them there?

S - Speech, is their speech slurred?

T - Time to call 999 (in US 911) if you see any one of these signs.

Both acronyms work, its is just which is easier for an individual to remember.

Shakey Loc: Traveling again to Norway and other places.

Thanks for posting, Jerry. You too Malcolm.

Frank47 Loc: West coast Florida

Great reminder. You never know when that emergency is going to occur . . . . and you might save a life in the process.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I think it's better that way. :-)