All material copyright 2005.
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Durham, North Carolina
(919)489-4974
For staff e-mail call # above
or e-mail Gail
Comments, corrections and suggestions about this website are welcome.
E-mail Web
assistant
Stroke Awareness
May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Here at WPC
we have a special interest in stroke since Paul Ransford’s
stroke, which occurred while in his office at the church.
All of us know that he has made a remarkable recovery, and
we thank God for that. Many of us know that it was the
rapid response of the staff that day that kept Paul’s experience
from being much more tragic. Now it remains that we
learn from Paul’s experience and try to decrease our own
risk of having a stroke.
What exactly is a stroke? A stroke is a “brain attack.” This
is when the vital flow of blood and oxygen to the brain is
cut off. This can happen through a blood clot or the build
up of plaque and other fatty deposits (ischemic stroke) or
through the rupture of an aneurysm or blood vessel in the
brain (hemorrhagic stroke). Almost 85% of all strokes are
ischemic strokes.
In the US, stroke is the third leading cause of death, killing
160,000 people each year. It is the leading cause of adult
disability. Approximately 780,000 strokes will occur this
year; however 500,000 of those strokes could have been
prevented. In this newsletter, I will talk about how to recognize
and react to a stroke. In the next newsletter, I will
focus on how to prevent the occurrence of a stroke.
Two million brain cells die every minute during a stroke.
Recognizing the symptoms and acting quickly to get medical
attention can save a life and limit disabilities. Treatment
exists to help minimize the effects of a stroke, however it
must be given within three hours of the first symptom. So
it is important to seek medical attention quickly. Studies
show that stroke patients who arrive at the hospital by ambulance
receive quicker treatment than those who arrive by
their own means. So if you think you or someone you know
is having a stroke, call 911. There is no penalty for calling
911 if you are wrong about whether or not a stroke is occurring,
but the penalty for not calling 911 is the death of
many more brain cells, increasing the risk of permanent brain
damage, disability, or death.
What are the symptoms of a stroke? Common stroke symptoms
include:
• 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
The National Stroke Association has developed this simple
test to help you detect stroke symptoms and act F.A.S.T.
F=FACE Ask the person to smile. Does one side of
their face droop?
A=ARM Ask the person to raise both arms. Does
one arm drift downward?
S=SPEECH Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.
Does the speech sound slurred or strange?
T=TIME If you observe any of these signs, it’s time
to call 9-1-1.
By recognizing that something was very different about
Paul, and immediately calling 911, our staff deserves much
credit for preventing what could have been an even more
devastating event from occurring. Any one of us could
find ourselves in that same position, anywhere we go. Will
we be as smart? Yes!! We will!!