by Morgan Johnson

Created on: August 05, 2009   Last Updated: August 07, 2009

We learn life lessons through experience. Most often we gain the knowledge we need only after we need it. You can believe me when I say you don't want to learn the lessons of a stroke AFTER it happens! How do I know for certain? Because, as I sit here writing this article I am recovering from a stroke.

It happened just two weeks ago. I was sitting in my living room typing a blog or reading through some on-line article. Late in the evening I decided there was little else I needed to accomplish that day so I sat back to think through what I had to do to get ready for bed, That's when it happened.

I felt a sudden rush of blood to my head. I was light-headed as if someone had waved ammonium nitrate under my nose. Then there was a flood of sensation like cold water poured down my left side. My left arm felt heavy and my left knee and foot felt tired. My mind began to race: "Is this a heart attack, or possibly a stroke?" I asked myself. How would I know? What do I do to be sure?

I remembered articles like this one I had read about stroke detection, symptoms and recovery. There are a few things you can do to test a person for stroke when you observe a friend or relative whose behavior suddenly changes. I didn't remember them all but the few I did made a difference.

First, I smiled, wide. My face responded more or less evenly. I recited the alphabet forward and backwards, then my addresses, now and the one before that. All the while I kept an inward eye on my heart and pulse rate. Everything seemed fine, I just felt very tired. Maybe I should just go to bed,

Wrong! If it were either a heart malfunction or a stroke the damage would progress while I lay in bed and my parents would wake up to a cold stiff body where I left it. Meanwhile I'd be trying to explain to the Lord why I was too stupid to go to the hospital.

That's what I did and I'll get back to the results later. What you should take away from this story so far is this, learn what to do before you face the situation yourself or with a loved one. Rapid action will greatly determine the outcome of a stroke event. Doctors want to have you under their care within three hours of the onset of symptoms. Get there as early as possible. The brain you save may be your own.

But there is more to prevention than responding to the event. To minimize the effects of a stroke preparations must begin early, possibly years in advance. Know your risk factors and take action to eliminate as many as possible or minimize those

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