I don’t know why, but my mind has been on strokes lately. No one near me has had one recently, nor any one else that I know of. However, I have learned through the years, that when something stays on your mind and keeps coming back to mind…there is a reason. It has been a long time since I worked as a nurse, and lots of things I don’t remember. BUT, I have checked out this info, and it is spot on. Perhaps it is important for YOU and I to review this info. So for whatever reason the Lord has impressed this on my heart…here are a few things you should know.

Read this info and then I’ll be back. All info from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association:

If you have symptoms of a stroke, seek emergency medical care. General symptoms of a stroke include:

• Sudden numbness, tingling, weakness, or paralysis in your face, arm, or leg, especially on only one side of your body.
• Sudden vision changes.
• Sudden trouble speaking.
• Sudden confusion or trouble understanding simple statements.
• Sudden problems with walking or balance.
• A sudden, severe headache that is different from past headaches.

Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical services (EMS) number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can be sent for you.

Also, check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared. It’s very important to take immediate action. If given within 3 hoursof the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) may reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke.

tPA is the only FDA-approved medication for the treatment of stroke within three hours of stroke symptom onset.

What is Stroke?
Stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. It is the No. 3 cause of death in the United States, behind diseases of the heart and cancer.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die.

What are the types of stroke?
Stroke can be caused either by a clot obstructing the flow of blood to the brain (called an ischemic stroke) or by a blood vessel rupturing and preventing blood flow to the brain (called a hemorragic stroke).

What are the effects of stroke?
The brain is an extremely complex organ that controls various body functions. If a stroke occurs and blood flow can’t reach the region that controls a particular body function, that part of the body won’t work as it should.

A TIA or transient ischemic attack is a “warning stroke” or “mini-stroke” that produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage. Recognizing and treating TIAs can reduce your risk of a major stroke.
The usual TIA symptoms are the same as those of stroke, only temporary. The short duration of these symptoms and lack of permanent brain injury is the main difference between TIA and stroke

“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 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 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away) . She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how toidentify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some victims of stroke don’t die…..they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.” copied

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.

REMEMBER THIS :

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 four 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 or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS..
T* Stick out Your Tongue NOTE: Another ‘ sign ‘ of a stroke is this: 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 911 immediately and
describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

*******SMILE*****TALK*****RAISE ARMS******STICK OUT TONGUE*********

I keep thinking how easy it would be to stop a death, if we just would step up and risk a little embarrassment. At the risk of offending someone at a party or at work or church or the grocery store..would we ask them to do these 4 simple tasks? I will. Maybe, just maybe, the reason I wrote this today was for YOU to read it or for me to review it. S*T*R*T