[Humor] How to recognize a stroke victim

[Mary Ann Horton]

Michele passes this along.  With suggestions from Karen, an RN, I've 
clarified some points (in red.)

 
*STR**OKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters...*
*February 01, 2006*

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*ISCHEMIC STROKE IDENTIFICATION:*


During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured 
everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just 
tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up 
and got her a new plate of food - wh ile she appeared a bit shaken up, 
Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's 
husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to 
the hospital - (at6:00pm, Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke 
at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, 
perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a 
helpless, hopeless condition instead.

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It only takes a minute to read this...

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A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours 
he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the 
trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the 
patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

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*RECOGNIZING A STROKE*

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Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps, STR . Read and Learn!

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Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, 
the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer 
severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of 
a stroke.

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Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three 
simple questions:

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*S* *Ask the individual to *SMILE*.  Look to see if the sides of the 
mouth turn up the same amount.  If one side doesn't go up, the person 
may be having a stroke.

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*T **Ask the person to *TALK* . to *SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE*
(Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out today)  Inability to speak 
coherently, or a severe headache (the worst headache of their life) is a 
sign.

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*R* *Ask him or her to *RAISE BOTH ARMS*.  If one arm won't stay up, 
that's a clue.  A person will have symptoms usually on one side of the 
body (the opposite side of the body that the stroke has affected the 
brain).  So if a person has a left frontal lobe stroke, it will affect 
the right side of their body (and vice versa).

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{NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out 
their tongue... if the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or 
the other that is also an indication of a stroke}

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If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 
9-1-1immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.  You only 
have four hours from the onset of symptoms to administration of the 
drug, and you'll probably spend most of that time in the ER, so /move 
quickly/!

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*A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 
people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.*


 
 

	
	


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