The Day I Witnessed a Stroke: Why First Aid Knowledge Matters

A Life-Changing Experience

Recently, I went through a tragic event in which my father had a stroke attack. Thanks to God, he survived, but it somehow traumatized me. Like most people, I couldn’t do anything at the spot except calling for help, but deep down this incident made me realize how important first aid is. I decided to learn the basics of first aid given in most emergency situations and create awareness among others by writing about what I acquire during this learning process.

The Day Everything Changed

So, it was February 17, just a normal day. Everyone in my house was busy with their routine activities. My father was sitting in his room when he suddenly felt weakness in one half of his body. He described it to me as if his hand was unable to fulfill the desired command due to weakness. He also had visual symptoms and experienced weakness in his legs. He told us siblings, and we decided to call an ambulance and take him urgently to the hospital, but he denied it and said, I will drive my own car and go by myself. We knew something was seriously wrong and insisted he shouldn’t go alone. Somehow we convinced him. Fortunately, we successfully reached the hospital, where proper care was initiated, and he was treated and rehabilitated. Thankfully, he has now fully recovered.

The Questions That Haunted Me

Though nothing went terribly wrong, the incident left me with questions, why wasn’t I able to recognize it timely? After continuous thoughts, I started educating myself on what a stroke really is, how to recognize a stroke attack, and what could be done in such situations. Let me share everything in layman’s language so that everyone can implement it if they ever encounter such an emergency.

What is a Stroke?

A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of a brain is stopped. It is of two types:

• Ischemic stroke: A clot forms and blocks blood supply to the brain.

• Hemorrhagic stroke: A blood vessel bursts, causing bleeding in the brain.

People with diabetes, high blood pressure, and those who smoke are at higher risk. The risk also increases with age.

Recognizing Stroke Symptoms: The FAST Method

A stroke can present with various symptoms, but you can remember the most common ones using the mnemonic FAST:

• F for Face: The person’s face may droop on one side. Ask them to smile, and you will see an uneven or incomplete smile. They may also have vision problems, but those are not always easy to notice.

• A for Arm: The person may have weakness in one arm or leg. Ask them to lift both arms; one side may not rise properly.

• S for Speech: Their speech may be slurred, or they may have trouble speaking. Try talking to them and see if they can respond clearly.

• T for Time: If you notice any of these signs, don’t wait and call for help immediately. Time is crucial because every minute matters in preventing long-term damage.

Apart from these symptoms, the person may complain of having the worst headache of their life or experience visual symptoms.

What to Do If Someone Is Having a Stroke

Once you recognize a stroke, here’s what to do before help arrives:

• Call an ambulance immediately. Don’t wait to see if symptoms go away.

• Keep the person calm and loosen any tight clothing to make them comfortable.

• Don’t feed them anything, even water, as they may have difficulty swallowing and could choke.

• Ensure they are breathing properly. If they become unconscious but are still breathing, turn them to their side with their head slightly tilted forward. This helps prevent choking.

• If they stop breathing, start CPR if you know how.

The Importance of First Aid Knowledge

I summarized what I learned because the main purpose is to save a life. A friend of mine, who is a health professional, once advised me to take a first aid workshop, but I was too busy at the time. Now, I realize its importance. You don’t have to be a doctor to save someone’s life, you can do so by educating yourself on basic emergency responses. Hope this adds to your knowledge!