Griffin Speaks

BRAIN ATTACK

Big mama is at the family reunion having a wonderful time. She is eating more pig feet and chitterlings than she has ever eaten before when suddenly she falls to the ground. Family members quickly run over and assist big mama. Freddy, big mama’s young grandson remembers something he learned in school about “strokes”. He quickly asks big mama to “smile”, she could not smile. He then asks big mama to talk and speak a simple sentence, she couldn’t say a word. He then asks big mama to raise both her arms. Big mama could not raise her arms. Freddy immediately called 911. “Big mama has had a “stroke”. 

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, approximately 700,000 persons suffer a stroke each year. Included in that number are 500,000 first strokes and 200,000 recurrent strokes. Stroke is the leading cause of long term disability and the third leading cause of death for Americans after heart disease and cancer. 

A stroke occurs when blood can not reach the brain. This is why a stroke is sometimes referred to as a brain attack. The most common kind of stroke is an ischemic stroke. It occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel or artery in the brain. Eighty percent of all strokes are ischemic strokes. The other twenty percent of strokes are Hemorrhagic strokes, which occur when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and causes bleeding. 

It is very important to get the stroke victim to the hospital right away. The longer blood flow is cut off from the brain, the more likely it is that the stroke victim will have permanent damage. “Time is Brain” 

Hopefully when big mama recovers she will lay off the pig feet and the chitterlings. So remember the first three letters in the word “stroke”. 

S= ASK THE PERSON TO SMILE

T= ASK THE PERSON TO TALK AND SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE

R= ASK THE PERSON TO RAISE BOTH ARMS

If the person has trouble with any one of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. “You will probably save a life

In the words of my dad, “If these gas prices get any higher I am going to buy me a horse!”

Greg Griffin is a free lance writer. You can read his previous articles by visiting his web page at www.greggriffin.com or write to him at P.O. Box 250194 Montgomery, Alabama 36125-0194. 

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