Alfons sent this to me 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) 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. 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 to
SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE
(Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out today)
R
*
Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS
.
NOTE:
Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their
tongue. 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.
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.