STROKE: Remember the 1st three letters........ S. T. R.

If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks.


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)... 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, she went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Her husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to Hospital - (at 6:00 pm, she passed away). She had suffered a stroke at the BBq. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps she would be with us today. Some don't die.... they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this.......

A Neuorologist 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 recognised, diagnosed and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours.... which is tough.


RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remeber the '3' steps, STR. Read & 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 3 simple questions:

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

If he/she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call Emergency call centre immediately & describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.


New signs of a stroke.......... STICK OUT YOUR TONGUE.

Note: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: ask the person to 'stick' out his/her tongue.... if the tongue is 'crooked'; if it goes to one side or the other.... that is also an indication of a stroke.