CAN MY PERONALITY FLAW ACTUALLY BE A GOOD THING?

December 4, 2012 · Filed under Health

My family always criticizes me for moving too fast. My son calls me “road runner” and  my daughter shakes her head at me. My husband is so used to my fast, impulsivity, that he no longer says a thing. But I know what he’s thinking!

However, this “fast flaw” can be a good thing when it comes to having a stroke.

Most people understand what a heart attack is:  There’s some type of blockage to the heart causing a lack of blood flow leading to damage to the heart muscle. Well, this same thing can happen in the brain. So really, we can say that a stroke is simply a heart attack in the brain.

The real issue with stroke is that time is of the essence. When strokes are treated as soon as possible, outcomes are significantly better. There seems to be a crucial THREE-HOUR window to get treatment. The problem is that often times people dive immediately into denial and don’t act fast enough. (I now understand this as I didn’t act quickly enough with my gallbladder! NO MORE!)

I searched the internet for the best way to remember signs of stroke. I found a great acronym, FAST, to remember stroke signs.

Please remember FAST. To me, having a stroke is  all about the quality of life after it happens. Acting FAST may prevent people from having trouble speaking, walking or winding up in a nursing home. So don’t over think this. Just move FAST and get help!!