STR

Strokes and the detection thereof, while not on topic to this blog, please share this with everyone you know.  I especially want my friends to know for selfish reasons:

STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters.... S.T.R.  �  My nurse friend sent this and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree.  If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks. Seriously..  Please read:  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, 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 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.  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 and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) i.e. It is sunny out today)  R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS .  If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 119 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.  New Sign of a Stroke ------- Stick out Your Tongue  NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other , that is also an indication of a stroke..  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. Eric Standlee