Remember The 1st Three Letters... "S.T.R"...
'During a party, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They offered to call ambulance
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 party . 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...
STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
{{Neurologists say 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
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 * TALK. Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently & without Slurring) (eg '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 the ambulance and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
NOTE : Another 'sign' to look for
~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.}}
Neurologists/Cardiologists say if everyone who gets this status shares it; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.......
My Mother In Law suffered multiple strokes one Wednesday afternoon in the Fall of 2002. She had been ill with pneumonia and couldn't get out of bed easily so my {{then future}} husband and I would check on her every day during our lunch breaks and after work, bringing her meals and making sure she was doing well. That day we were both running late after work and didn't get by her house until after church services. As soon as we saw her, we knew 'something' had happened. We asked how she felt and she said "fine". She had experienced a 'dizzy' spell on the way to the restroom and "that was all" She felt okay and had no idea that her face was showing obvious trauma from strokes. Of course we were WAY beyond the magical '3 Hour' time frame and as a result D suffered partial paralysis on her right side from tip to toe as well as other neurological damage.
Of course M and I beat ourselves up for years about 'What could have been'...'If only we had checked sooner'...'If only we hadn't been running late'... But eventually we understood that what happened in D's life wasn't under our control and we weren't to stress over what did or will happen. Jeremiah 29:11 says " "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." " And personally I like this one... 1 Peter 5:7 "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."
Despite that , we also understand that our Lord...'The Great Physician' allowed us this insight into the human body. Not so we would shrug it off and say "It's in His hands" or "I couldn't remeber that anyway" but so that we could grasp the importance of recognizing the signs of a possible stroke and knowing what to do next. I pray {{and I mean I literally JUST prayed}} that all who read this post will take it to heart and learn the steps to recognize and seek treatment for a possible stroke victim. Hang it on your fridge, read it once a day or once a week even. Keep it fresh in your mind. So many things in life we have no control over but this...this is so easy and could help to spare years of trauma or even save someone's life.
{{D's Birthday is coming up this Saturday and we know she will be celebrating in Heaven. She always loved Birthdays {{even her own}} and though we have missed her for almost 5 years now, it is good to know she is healthy now and no longer suffering...}}
**Note** I can not validate the truth behind the illustrative story. I have read it MANY times and on many public forums. I merely use it as an example of how easily a Stroke can be overlooked and the {{possible}} dire consequences...
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