Just got this from a friend in my emails and thought it would be worth posting.
R
>
> Recognizing a Stroke
>
> 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.
>
> 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 an getting to the patient within
>3 hours which is tough.
>
> RECOGNIZING A STROKE
>
>Thank goodness for the sense to remember the "3" steps. Read and Learn!
>Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately,
>the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer 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:
> 1. *Ask the individual to SMILE.
> 2. *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
> 3. *Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. . . It
>is sunny out
> today) If he or
she has trouble with any of these tasks, call
>9-1-1 immediately and
> describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
>
>After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify
>facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the
>general public to learn the three questions. They presented their
>conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last
>February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and
>treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.
>
>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.
>
>BE A FRIEND AND SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH AS MANY FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE,
>you could save their lives.
>
