Identifying a stroke

[wanabechippie]

Got this forwarded email today from a mate. Did some brief googling and the info is correct.

Twas something i didn't know, maybe you don't know it either. May be something that could save a life.

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


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

RECOGNISING 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 - look for difficulty in controlling facial muscles.

T * Ask the person to TALK to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out today) - look for difficulty in putting the sentence together

R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS - look for one arm failing to stay up/moving differently.

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 for ambulance immediately!! and describe the
symptoms to the dispatcher.

 

[securespark]

That's brilliant, thank you very much!

 

[gcol]

Just forwarded this to those in my address book. Cheers.

 

[BOB D.O.L.E]

[
RECOGNISING 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

This is whats supposed to happen but this is wot really happens:-

A freind of mine mother was taken ill the ambulace was there in half an hour and in hospital in 3 quarters of an hour, she was taken in the emergency room and was looked at but she only got a cat scan a week later, and was left in a ward with no treatment, a year has passed and she is back at home still paralized she has phizo once a month, she has never had a bath or a shower for a year she lives down stairs and sleeps on a single bed, they still havent bothered to put ramps outside the house or anything else, the NHS IS A SICK JOKE.

 

[BoxBasher]

They are very handy tips, but you can't ask everybody who stumbles at a BBQ to do those things can you?

My mates nan is always stumbling about p*ssed at family parties...

 

[bernardgreen]

Why not go the whole way and take a basic first aid course from Red Cross or St John Ambulance, or other reputable training provider.

Never know when you might be the only person around to keep the casualty alive until the ambulance arrives.

 

[wanabechippie]

They are very handy tips, but you can't ask everybody who stumbles at a BBQ to do those things can you?

My mates nan is always stumbling about p*ssed at family parties...

Exactly what i thought when i first read the email.

What you can do, perhaps, is just try and get the person to go thorugh the tests without them knowing about it. If you know them, i'd guess it should be easier to spot odd behaviour. Try and make them smile (photo?), reach something from a shelf, tell a joke?

I've got an emergency first aid certificate through work. never needed it yet, but I'm glad i have it!