Arena Newsletter

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

 Remember The 1st Three Letters...S.T.R.

 
This was sent to me as an email and we were encouraged to send it on. I can think of nothing better than posting it here!!
If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some people.

Seriously.. Please read:


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 - while 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 - (at 6:00pm, 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.


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.


 RECOGNIZING A STROKE 

Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps, STR . Read and Learn!
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.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

    •  S   Ask the individual to SMILE.
    •  T  Ask the person to TALK... to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE. (Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out                 today)
    •  R   Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.



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.

 

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 000 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.



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.