Spotting signs: Arm or leg

When my stroke occurred almost a dozen years ago, one of the clearest signs was the fact that I could no longer move my right arm or leg.

Both felt as if those limbs were dead - could not move, could not feel. One now-comical moment was when the ambulance crew wanted my driver's license ID or insurance card - something in my wallet. I could not even begin to fish it out.

A more medical explanation of this stroke symptom, from the Australia's Brain Foundation:

Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, often one side of the body.

• A lack of muscle strength in any group of muscles, most commonly those on the face, hand, arm and leg on one side (called hemiparesis). At least half of patients suffer some form of hemiparesis, some with a mild form that involves difficulty in controlling movement, rather than weakness.
• A loss of sensation or feeling in any part of the body. Numbness of the skin of the face, hand, arm, and leg on one side (hemiananaesthia) is most common.
  

Sometimes, I call my right arm as my "magic" arm - shortly after medical professionals gave me a dose of tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the arm (and leg) moved. From a dead-like feeling to new life.

Reminds me of some words of Paul:

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

-Colossians 3:1-4

Make sure you know the signs: Lives can be saved

The British National Health Service in has a lofty goal: reducing the number of stroke deaths in half.

From a Reuters story about this new stroke awareness campaign:

Deaths from strokes can be halved if people recognise the signs of an attack and call an ambulance immediately, the National Health Service said on Monday.

New clot-busting treatments can produce "Lazarus-like" effects and have patients up and about within a day if administered within three hours of a stroke, said Roger Boyle, the National Director for Heart Disease and Stroke.

The National Health Service posts great information, including specifics about the signs of a stroke. The agency uses the F.A.S.T. acronym:

• Face: Has their face drooped or look fallen on one side? Can they smile?
• Arms: Can the person raise both arms?
• Speech: Can the person speak clearly and understand what other people are saying?
• Time: Time to call 999 (blogger's note: in the U.S., of course, that would be 911) if you see one or more of these signs.

And that's the bottom line. Even if you're uncertain, call for help. Life is in the balance.

Stroke signs: Remember the first three letters, S. T. R.

One more way to remember stroke symptoms, recently from The HealthCentral Network - STROKE: Remember the First Three Letters, S. T. R.

The simple test, according to the article:

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.

So as you try to remind and teach people about stroke symptoms, another mnemonic device to help.