Take Action Tuesday

This week's TAT is another one concerning health. This is prompted by a personal experience. I found out over the weekend that a member of my family had a stroke while on vacation. She didn't know it was a stroke at the time and had never had one. Thanks to some fast-acting people around her she got to the hospital in a timely manner and got the medication so urgently needed. The trick is she didn't think it was very serious and didn't want the ambulance to be called. This is where you TAKE ACTION! The National Stroke Association has a plan to act F.A.S.T. This is an acronym to remember the warning signs.

Act F.A.S.T.
FACE	Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
ARMS	Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
SPEECH	Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly?
TIME	If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important. Call 911 or get to the hospital fast. Brain cells are dying.

Please review this information. You can also visit The National Stroke Association and the American Heart Association for additional information. You could save a life!