I visited the family of one of my patients this afternoon. He had died of a cerebral hemorrhage (bleeding from a small vessel in his brain that was related to age, diabetes, long-term high blood pressure). A banker, he had suffered a stroke 14 years ago that left him without the use of one arm and forced his retirement, he still managed to get to most of the Boston College football games and enjoy his family when he wasn't "wintering" in the South. As his wife put it, he "went out" watching a ballgame that his beloved team was winning, which seemed quite appropriate.
Whether one believes that the purpose of a World Stroke Day is to honor those (like football player Tedy Bruschi, or the legion of ordinary people who have to fight every day to do the things that we all take for granted) who work hard to overcome deficits, to assess what we do to make living easier for those who have suffered a stroke, or to make people aware of a problem that costs Medicare 6 billion dollars per year, today let us remember that stroke is a devastating often preventable illness and a medical emergency that requires immediate hospital attention. Just like a heart attack, this is what your emergency medical system if for. If you think someone is having a stroke, call 911.
Related:
Symptoms of a Stroke and Heart Attack
Stroke and High Blood Pressure
