Thanks to Michael Mccarthy in the US for this very useful information.
As many of you know, Rinconeer Robin Burchett is recoverying well from his stroke last year, so the following information is rather poinant.
Is It A Stroke?
This might be a lifesaver if we can remember the
three questions!
Is it a Stroke?
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to
identify.
Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster
for the stroke victim. A stroke victim may suffer
brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the
symptoms of a stroke Now doctors say any 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.
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 2004 annual meeting.
Widespread use of this test could result in prompt
diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent
brain damage.
Is It A Heart Attack?
Read this... It could save your life!!
Let's say it's 6.15 P.M. and you're driving home
(alone of course), after an unusually hard day on the
job. You're really tired, upset, and
frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe
pain in your chest that starts
to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw.
You are only about five miles from the hospital
nearest your home. Unfortunately you don't know if
you'll be able to make it that far. You have been
trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course
did not tell you how to perform it on yourself.
HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE
Since many people are alone when they suffer a
heart attack, without help, the person whose heart is
beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has
only about 10 seconds left before losing
consciousness. However, these victims can help
themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously.
A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and
the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when
producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath
and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds
without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart
is felt to be beating normally again.
Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and
coughing movements squeeze the
heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing
pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal
rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a
hospital.
Tell as many people as possible about this. It
could save their lives!!
