STROKE   IDENTIFICATION:

 I remember having circulated it before, but it is so important that it is once again brought to your attention.

If  everyone can remember  something this simple, we could save some lives .. seriously..

Please read:

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. 

STROKE: Remember   the 1st Three Letters....S.T.R.
        Four letters...S.T.R.O.

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  emergency  number immediately and describe  the symptoms to  the dispatcher.

New   Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick O*UT 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. 

I  have  done my part. Will  you?

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)