STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters....S.T.R. My nurse friend sent this and en <<image001.jpg>> couraged 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) .....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 .                                         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 999/911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.                                         New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue                                         NOTE: 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.