[Chong Eng, MP for Bukit Mertajam, has forwarded me the following email on spotting the signs of a stroke. If a life can be saved, the posting of this email will be worth it.]
New Sign of a Stroke
Stick out Your Tongue.
STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters .. S.T.R.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 999 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.
#1 by Tai Lo Chin on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 12:56 pm
A lot of our BN politicians growl instead of smile, point an accusing finger without raising both arms and speak with crooked tongue without being able to string a simple sentence coherently. The cardiologists should stand by.
#2 by Jururawat on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 1:04 pm
lol ! Medically speaking, there were cases whereby the person concerned already had a stroke but still could go on looking and doing things normally because of her strong will, until she fell down right on her face, became a hemiplegia and passed away a couple of months later because she gave up on life.
#3 by undergrad2 on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 8:38 pm
“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 this is the definition of a stroke, then Samy Vellu has been having a stoke for the last 25 years.
#4 by ihavesomethingtosay on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 9:20 pm
Undergrad2, hehehehe funny one, did you oso notice that he has fork tongue?
#5 by undergrad2 on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 10:23 pm
I wouldn’t know since the tongue is a private part of the human anatomy shared only by those in close proximity to him.
#6 by TheWrathOfGrapes on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 10:33 pm
More explanations here:
http://www.snopes.com/medical/disease/stroke.asp
#7 by lkt-56 on Sunday, 10 June 2007 - 11:43 pm
Kit, nice one ;)
#8 by undergrad2 on Monday, 11 June 2007 - 7:11 am
If brain damage is a symptom of a stroke then all BN politicians must have had a stroke at some point.
#9 by FuturePolitician on Monday, 11 June 2007 - 10:57 am
For a change, politic discussion aside, health takes priority.
HEALTH is no.1 factor that governs our well-being..Without maintaining excellent health, you cannot perform your task to your best ability.
It comes suddenly and recognising it and seeking medical attention would reduce the damage.
I have friends died of heart attack and survivor of strokes.
Some told me, it just come without much warning in the time you least expect it to be! One of them told me, he doesnt drink, smoke, play badminton regularly and eat modestly..stroke still come and caused paralysis of his arms.
It could be genetic.. who knows..
Learn about your body..and how it work..Many would start to initiate this learning process when they reach 40 n beyond, and part of their income goes heavily into supplements. Supplements isnt cheap, it used to be..but now you have to Pay much higher due to the cost of business now being pass to the consumers.
Health benefits? Dont count of Gov assisting you on this..If you need a angioplasty..be prepare to spend RM30K..Surgery…$$$$ sometimes its cheaper to die..then to burden your whole family. Insurance Riders? You can afford paying it, but your children education fund would be servely compromised. Work extra hours? Direct selling? etc, we have only 24hours a day,..no wonder people get strokes..just too much to bear with so little time and such high cost of living..
Have a good life to everyone…if you can afford it.
#10 by k1980 on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 9:57 am
Symptoms of strokes
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/s/stroke/symptoms.htm