How to tell if someone has a stroke...

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
43,746
Reaction score
8,652
Location
Los Angeles
Website
www.amazon.com
Given that a friend of mine had a stroke a couple of years ago (he didn't die, but his doctor said he would never recover from his helpless brain damage)... it's my duty to post this message that I received earlier today:




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 999/911 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.
 

reigningcatsndogs

Too sad for words.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 18, 2007
Messages
906
Reaction score
3,352
Location
Missing Writer??? May flights of angels carry you
Thanksgiving weekend, while stuffing the turkey, my 86 yr old mom was reading the paper at the table. She looked up, said she felt sort of funny, and asked if I would take her BP (she has lots of BP problems, and so has her monitor right there). Literally, I took four steps around the counter and reached her as she collapsed into my arms. While DH called the ambulance, I tried to take her BP and pulse -- nothing. I lowered her head, sat with her, rubbed her back and talked to her, and after a few seconds, she came around (it felt like hours) but was confused and her speech was slurred. She had had a MINOR stroke. They got her into emerg, and thankfully there was no noticeable lasting damage, although now she is very forgetful about what she just said. Thank God for EMT's and emergency wards!! Oh, and hubby cooked the Thanksgiving dinner. We took some in to her and she was able to eat it just fine.

ETA: Thanks, Ray for the post and the info. I've made a copy and stuck it in the cupboard in case something happens when my mom visits next time.
 
Last edited: