WHAT’S WORSE THAN AN AMBULANCE RIDE TO AN E.R.?

According to the National Council on Aging, 77% of all seniors suffer from one or more of four chronic diseases: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke. Of these, a stroke can happen very quickly and be life changing for the worse. But if caught in time, there is a better chance of diminishing dire consequences. So, why do strokes happen? The damage occurs when the blood supply is limited to the brain, which can happen due to a fall with internal bleeding where the head is impacted, either from a direct bang on the head or a quick jolt to the body. When an older person has a bad fall, often one immediately tries to assess the damages. Do I feel like any bones are broken? One takes the time to allow for symptoms of shock to dissipate. And, without an open wound—and sometimes with one—we may decide to have a cup of tea and imagine a trip to a hospital emergency room: the screeching ambulance, the blaring lights, the beeping monitors, and the moans of others in dire pain. It’s tempting to decide to stay quietly at home. But blood loss to the brain due to a shock can happen quickly, internally, depriving the brain of needed nutrients to function. If you think you may be on the way to having a stroke that can leave you incapacitated, look for F.L.A.S.H. warning signs: F – Face droops to one side; try smiling to assess. LA – Leg/Arm become weak or numb. S – Speech is suddenly slurred. H – Headache comes on. With any of these symptoms, be sure to get to an E.R. QUICKLY. That’s because the quicker you get to the hospital, if you are losing blood to the brain, the better the chances of avoiding a stroke and the crippling damage that can result. Call Paula at (646) 734-0182 on the spot if you need a consult! On an upbeat note, neurologist Dr. Jill Bolt Taylor has written extensively about her successful recovery from a crippling stroke. See book suggestions.