Heart Month

I'm not sure about other countries, but in Canada, February is HEART MONTH.

It's for that reason and *not* Valentine's Day that I used HEART shapes in my new header :o)

Over the next month I am going to share a few important items about heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest warning signs and symptoms.

I am starting today with the SIGNS of a STROKE because of something that happened to me personally a couple of years ago during my 1st annual heart biopsy and dye test following my heart transplant in March 2005.

During the dye test and before the actual biopsy, a tiny clot formed in the catheter that was used for the dye test [aka an *angiogram*], and I began to experience some of the symptoms described in this email.

I started to feel numbness in my left cheek. At first I did NOT realize what was happening and because I figured it *might* be normal during that procedure and would go away, I said nothing at this 1st sign :o(

Then the numbish feeling spread to my neck area and around my ears on the left side of my body. It travelled down my arm too!

At this point I was scared and called out to the nurse who was nearby as the cardiologist was doing the dye test and the biopsy ... I tried to say "Something's wrong!" but it just didn't come easily like it should have!

They told me later that my words were a little slurred.

The doctor called out to the nurse to give me oxygen immediately and to monitor me closely & visually. The doctor immediately withdrew the catheter that was in my groin artery and told all of us that a tiny clot could be seen within the catheter -- that it was very fortunate that I told them SO QUICKLY, that I had been asked to take 81mg of coated aspirin daily and that I was IN HOSPITAL already, otherwise the outcome could have been very different.

I realize that mine was brought on by the procedure, but it still goes to show how IMPORTANT it was that I told them as soon as possible!

INFORMATION EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW

The symptoms of a stroke depend on what part of the brain and how much of the brain tissue is affected.

• Stroke symptoms usually come on suddenly - in minutes to an hour.
  
  
• There is usually no pain associated with the symptoms.
  
  
• The symptoms may come and go, go away totally, or get worse over the course of several hours.
  
  
• If the symptoms go away completely in a short time (fewer than 24 hours), the episode is called a transient ischemic attack (TIA) --- THIS IS WHAT I HAD.
  
  
• One third of all strokes occur during sleep, so people first notice the symptoms when they wake up.
  
  
• These are the common symptoms of stroke:
  
  
  • Weakness in the arm or leg OR both on the same side: This can range from total paralysis to a very mild weakness. Complete numbness or a pins-and-needles feeling may be present on 1 side of your body or part of 1 side of your body.
    
    
  • Weakness in the muscles of the face: Your face may droop or look lopsided. Speech may be slurred because you can't control the movement of your lips or tongue.
    
    
  • Difficulty speaking: You can't speak, speech may be very slurred, or when you speak, the words sound fine but do not make sense.
    
    
  • Coordination problems: You may seem uncoordinated and stumble or have difficulty walking or difficulty picking up objects.
    
    
  • Dizziness: You may feel drunk or dizzy or have difficulty swallowing.
    
    
  • Vision problems: You may develop difficulty with vision, such as double vision, loss of peripheral [side] vision, or blindness. [Blurred vision by itself is not usually a symptom of a stroke.]
    
    
  • Sudden headache: A sudden, severe headache may strike like "a bolt out of the blue." Some people have called this the worst headache of their lives.
    
    
  • Loss of consciousness: You may become unconscious, stuporous, or hard to arouse and could die.
    

Face Arm Speech Test - is used by paramedics to diagnose stroke prior to a person being admitted to hospital. By diagnosing the possibility of stroke before reaching hospital, it is possible for appropriate referral to a stroke unit to be made as quickly as possible.

Anyone can do this FACE, ARM, SPEECH Test as soon as someone has suspected problems!

Facial weakness - can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
Arm weakness - can the person raise both arms?
Speech problems - can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
Time to call 9-1-1 *IMMEDIATELY* ~ this is of UTMOST IMPORTANCE!

If the person has failed any one of these tests, you must call 911. Stroke is a medical emergency and by calling 911 you can help someone reach the hospital quickly and receive the early treatment they need.

Prompt action can prevent further damage to the brain and help someone make a full recovery. Delay can result in death or major long-term disabilities, such as paralysis, severe memory loss and communication problems.

What if the symptoms go away?
A Transient Ischemic Attack [TIA] which is sometimes called a mini stroke, is similar to a full stroke, but the symptoms may only last a few minutes and will have completely gone within 24 hours.

DO NOT ignore it. It could lead to a major stroke. See your family doctor or clinic as soon as possible and ask to be referred to a cardiologist. This should happen within 7 days.

NEW Sign of a STROKE

Ask the person to STICK OUT THEIR TONGUE -- If their tongue is crooked or leans to the left or right, this is another sign.

GET HELP IMMEDIATELY -- DON'T WAIT and WONDER.

Believe me, from all the times I've been in cardiac wards and emergency departments listening to medical staff talk to other patients, the doctors ALWAYS prefer that you err on the side of caution and NOT TAKE CHANCES!

Better to be told that it was NOT a stroke or a heart attack or ??, than to NOT EVEN GET IT CHECKED OUT . . .

Blessings,