Please look out for the signs

[appollo1]

I am not on about road signs and this is a serious posting. I am not after sympathy but i just want to make you all aware and ask you to please look out for the signs and make yourself familiar with them.

Most of you I have never met and a lot of you that are friends (whether i have met you or not) on facebook already know what has happened to me and my family over the weekend.

On Saturday i was out food shopping with my wife and kids. When we got home i went out to start sorting the garden as i hate putting shopping away. My wife said something to me which i didn't understand and i thought she was just being sarcastic about me never helping to put the shopping away.

About 3 or 4 minutes later my 7 year old son who had been helping Charlie (wife) with the shopping came out to the garden and told me that "mummy was talking funny and really upset". When i went into the kitchen she was sat on the floor and unable to speak properly and very disorientated. i recognised the signs straight away and dialled 999.

Within minutes the ambulance arrived and after a quick assessment whisked her away to hospital. Within an hour she had been assessed and been taken for a CT scan.

Charlie had had a stroke. She did not have a bleed but had a blockage somewhere. She was taken straight to the Acute Stoke Ward and given a drip with medicine to help move/breakdown the blockage.

Thankfully today she has some mobility back but her speech is still really bad. The kids and I are taking one day at a time.

Charlie is 38 years old.

I am asking you all to please please please, read up about the signs and symptoms of Strokes. Thankfully I have had a lot of medical training and knew what it was straight away and i am not saying that you don't know as some of you probably will. All i ask is if you don't know please read up and learn to recognise the signs as medically there is a window of about 3 hours to get help.

Like i said I am not after sympathy just for you all to please take a minute to recognise the signs so you can get help straight away.

As an Emergency Responder i would rather attend a job where someone wasn't sure than go to a job where someone didn't think there was anything wrong until it is too late.

Thank you for reading this.

[hindle8907]

Sorry to hear this mate, hope your wife gets well soon.

[littleoldman2]

I never really can find the words to express myself with situations like this. I know little about you but feel your up to making the best of everything in this very difficult time, for the children, Charlie and yourself. Keep up the good work mate and well done.

[Richie]

Bloody Hell, Thank goodness you knew and your Son came out to you.
Really really GWS Charlie.

Those adverts on T.V are good, but how will I / you respond to that situation if and when it occurs...?

[Specialone]

Thats terrible mate, shes younger than me :(
I have tried to take in the adverts tbh, but i'll certainly keep your post in mind.

Hope she gets well soon.


Phil

[missyburd]

I was so shocked to read this on facebook, thank goodness your son and you reacted so quickly, every second makes such a difference in these cases :( Such a trying time for you all, thankyou for posting the details and be strong Ricky.

It was just a flitting thought but it did occur to me that had your Appollo still been with you would he have noticed the signs too. Dogs are so intuitive.

[embee]

Here's wishing strength to all. Hope it works out as best it can.

Good call on the awareness.

[BanannaMan]

Time makes all the difference in recovering from a stroke.
Well done on you for knowing the signs.
Hope the wife has a speedy recovery.

[SoulKiss]

All my best wishes to you and all your family.

[Sid Squid]

Very sorry to hear of this, my best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

[-Ralph-]

All the best mate.

[peterco]

Sorry to hear of this,
Get well wishes to Charlie.
All the best to you and familly.

[Sally]

Hope everythings ok lad!

[Quiff Wichard]

As said on FB .. All good wishes from me and Mandy .

[dizzyblonde]

Exactly the same as on FB. Wishing your wife a speedy recovery, she already has a fantastic husband whose quick thinking saved her life, so all the best helping her back to good health. x

[Stuuk1]

Your son did a great job! You should be very proud of him.

I never would have known the signs of a stroke but after seeing the advert on the TV (think it is from the NHS) I'm pretty sure I would spot it.

Hope she has a speedy recovery.


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[The Idle Biker]

That's really bad news. Wishing you and your family all the best.

[Amadeus]

Gosh. I really feel for you, and I think I understand your pain.

My dad had a stroke a few years ago (in his early 50's) - my mum called me in a bit of a panic (v early in the morning so I knew it was serious before I'd picked up the phone). I got her to call an ambulance and then go and grab the GP across the road and I went to meet them in hospital. When I got there, dad could move one arm and swear a lot (he doesn't swear at all normally). I was bricking it. Anyway, within a couple weeks he was basically back to normal so despite how your wife seems now, don't panic - the human body is great at repairing itself. You probably know all this but sometimes I find I forget things I know in the heat of the moment.

It does show that these things can happen to anyone - even the wife of a celebrity (http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/edinburgh/real-lives-raf-s-ricky-honoured-for-his-vital-afghan-role-1-2183833)like yourself! :-)

I hope everything works out for you and your family.

rgds

[Fallout]

Man, good luck for the future and I wish her a speedy recovery.

I worked with a guy who had a stroke at the age of 26, so it can happen to anyone. It's a properly unfair affliction.

Again, best wishes!

[Jayneflakes]

As with all of these things, a little bit of knowledge can do wonders when it comes to saving a life. Thank you for sharing what could potentially be a very hard subject to talk about.

Let's face it, we how often do we really think of the things that could damage the people we love? Were it my partner Carol, I would be on the phone right away because she means the world to me.

Anyway, thank you for your words and I do sincerely wish your wife a safe and full recovery. Send her lots of love from the Org.

[Owenski]

Thank god you were back here mate, nice big ice cream for the little lad me thinks.
Qudos for keeping a cool head and I do hope the wife recovers fully and fast.
All our best to you and your family, I'll certainly retain this information based on this thread.

[tactcom7]

Glad she's alright mate and hope she fully recovers soon.

What is the current advice on what to do in the event of a stroke?

[stewie]

Echo everyone else by saying that I hope she's ok and makes a full recovery mate.

[grh1904]

Best wishes...........

[Bluefish]

Sorry to hear this mate, my sister had a stroke at about the same age, made a full recovery, so hopefully all will be well in the end.

[dizzyblonde]

Glad she's alright mate and hope she fully recovers soon.

What is the current advice on what to do in the event of a stroke?

Remember

S T R

S......can the person Smile

T....can the person Talk, ask them to repeat a simple sentence

R.....ask them to Raise both arms

others are ..can they poke out their tongue straight, does it hang to one side.

[ahmedf]

personally the FAST campaign i believe is the best

F- Face, any drooping/ loss of symmetry of face
A- Arms, can they lift there arms up by themselves against gravity
S- Speech, has the speech gone slurred/absent
T- Time, call 999 act FAST

best campaign and easy to remember.

Also NEVER give aspirin. some may think it thins the blood therefore increasing blood supply, but this is only useful in a blockage type stroke. If you have haemorraghic stroke and give aspirin you essentially make them bleed quicker making the pressure on the brain even more. As you NEVER know what type of stroke someone is having unless you scan them, just call 999 ASAP.

best of luck to your wife!

[maviczap]

This also happened to one of the ladies at my place of work & it can strike you down at any age. She was early 50's

She's recovered enough to return to work

Wishing your wife a speedy recovery

[andrewsmith]

All the best mate

[carelesschucca]

Thoughts are with you bud.

[appollo1]

Your son did a great job! You should be very proud of him.

I never would have known the signs of a stroke but after seeing the advert on the TV (think it is from the NHS) I'm pretty sure I would spot it.

Hope she has a speedy recovery.


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Thanks and yes i am so proud of him for coming to get me.


Gosh. I really feel for you, and I think I understand your pain.

My dad had a stroke a few years ago (in his early 50's) - my mum called me in a bit of a panic (v early in the morning so I knew it was serious before I'd picked up the phone). I got her to call an ambulance and then go and grab the GP across the road and I went to meet them in hospital. When I got there, dad could move one arm and swear a lot (he doesn't swear at all normally). I was bricking it. Anyway, within a couple weeks he was basically back to normal so despite how your wife seems now, don't panic - the human body is great at repairing itself. You probably know all this but sometimes I find I forget things I know in the heat of the moment.

It does show that these things can happen to anyone - even the wife of a celebrity (http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/edinburgh/real-lives-raf-s-ricky-honoured-for-his-vital-afghan-role-1-2183833)like yourself! :-)

I hope everything works out for you and your family.

rgds

Thanks for the comments about your dad and his recovery. Celebrity ha ha ha

Remember

S T R

S......can the person Smile

T....can the person Talk, ask them to repeat a simple sentence

R.....ask them to Raise both arms

others are ..can they poke out their tongue straight, does it hang to one side.


This is the best advice but just remember that not everyone will show these signs exactly. Charlie could raise a small smile and lift her arms but it was her speech that was the worst thing initially.

personally the FAST campaign i believe is the best

F- Face, any drooping/ loss of symmetry of face
A- Arms, can they lift there arms up by themselves against gravity
S- Speech, has the speech gone slurred/absent
T- Time, call 999 act FAST

best campaign and easy to remember.

Also NEVER give aspirin. some may think it thins the blood therefore increasing blood supply, but this is only useful in a blockage type stroke. If you have haemorraghic stroke and give aspirin you essentially make them bleed quicker making the pressure on the brain even more. As you NEVER know what type of stroke someone is having unless you scan them, just call 999 ASAP.

best of luck to your wife!

I have seen this advert on tv and i have to say that it can be missleading IMO as not everyone shows the drooping facial signs that they advertise. Never give anything to eat or drink either


Glad she's alright mate and hope she fully recovers soon.

What is the current advice on what to do in the event of a stroke?


best advice i could say is read up rather than go by what is shown in adverts on tv then you will learn to recognise the signs as every person will display something different and they never happen in the order you expect.

most of all if in doubt 999 as soon as possible as the medical protocol for strokes is to act fast.

dont want to sound ungrateful and i do appreciate your kind words and concerns but as i said at the beginning i am not after your sympathy i just would like to highlight and make you all aware what to look out for because you never know when you will need to know that information.

[21QUEST]

Best wishes to the wife.

And thank you very much for posting. Sometimes, we just need someone to give us that nudge/reminder....I shall certainly be doing some more reading.


Best Regards
Ben

[ahmedf]

I have seen this advert on tv and i have to say that it can be missleading IMO as not everyone shows the drooping facial signs that they advertise. Never give anything to eat or drink either


Well i would say its better to know that could be a sign rather than not being taught it and then being confused when it does present. As a med student we are taught to know all the signs but never ignore that it could still be something even though it doesnt present in the characteristic manner and tick all the right boxes.

[timwilky]

I hope she makes a good and fast recovery.

The TV adverts are good that they made people aware of strokes. But there is still the misconception that they are a problem of old age. My wife's last ward was designated a stroke unit but in truth was also used as a geriatric dumping ground so no real time for the nursing staff to help those who could really benefit from specialist help. So i hope she is on a proper stroke unit.

[Bri w]

Hope she makes a full recovery - early diagnosis and prompt action will help loads.

Don't forget to look after yourself... stressful time bud.

[Bibio]

this now makes 4 women i know that are roundabout the age of 40 that have had a stroke.

symptoms common to 3 of the women i know were, headaches and uncharacteristic happiness a few weeks prior to the stroke.

if you need someone to talk to m8 gives a bell at any time day or night.

[DaveyF]

Best wishes to your wife, I hope she makes a full and speedy recovery. Well done to your son too.

A pal of mine had a stroke in his 40's and was lucky someone spotted it relatively quickly. Fit and healthy guy so it proves that it can happen to anyone. He's made a full recovery fortunately and from talking to him about it, it has my mates and I much more aware of what to look for.

[TheOnlyNemesis]

I hope she recovers well. Recently my aunty had a stroke that my uncle managed to catch very quickly. She has full mobility and can speak again very well the only problem left is she sometimes says the wrong thing based on what others have said, she sort of repeats it. But from the sounds of how quick you noticed she should make a good recovery.

[Tiger 55]

Not looking for sympathy, eh? Well you're in the wrong place because you'll get it here whether you want it or not big man! Sorry to hear about Charlie (see what I mean?) and hope she gets well right, as long as it takes. Meanwhile you take care of that boy and yourself.

And yes, I'll look out for the signs.

[appollo1]

Well it has been a very stressful and manic week but i am delighted to say that Charlie was discharged from hospital yesterday.

She is still very wobbly on her feet and her speech comes and goes but the main thing is that she is home and can rest and start her full recovery.

thank you all for your kind words folks.

[embee]

.....She is still very wobbly on her feet and her speech comes and goes but the main thing is that she is home and can rest and start her full recovery.


Sounds like a normal Friday night to me.

Well you did say you weren't after sympathy. :p

Seriously though, good news.

[hongman]

One of the threads I am glad I read.

All the best

[maviczap]

Well it has been a very stressful and manic week but i am delighted to say that Charlie was discharged from hospital yesterday.

She is still very wobbly on her feet and her speech comes and goes but the main thing is that she is home and can rest and start her full recovery.

thank you all for your kind words folks.

Home is the best place for recovery, hospitals aren't the restful places they should be.

Its going to be hard work for a while, but its better than having to organise getting to and from the hospital, plus looking after your little boy.

Plus you'll save a fortune on hospital car parking fees if its anything like our local hospital. :p

All the very best for your wife's recovery

[andrewsmith]

Glad to here that.
Homes the best place to recover