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...?

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

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.