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12 | OHCC LIVING | DECEMBER 2018 | The ability to quickly identify a stroke can help save a victim from suffering a long-term disability or even death, as illustrated in the following story: During a BBQ with friends, a woman stumbled and fell. Her friends wanted to call paramedics, but she assured everyone that the stumble was the fault of her new shoes and that she was fine. While she appeared a bit shaken up, she remained at the BBQ for quite some time before being taken to the hospital. She subsequently died from a stroke caused by the fall. Had the stroke symptoms been identified immediately and treatment received without delay, the detrimental effects could likely have been totally reversed. The following information describes each of the four simple ways to identify a stroke plus an easy method for remembering them. Doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions: S: Ask the individual to SMILE T: Ask the person to TALK - to speak a simple sentence coherently (ie. It is sunny out today). R: Ask him or her to RAISE both arms. New sign of a stroke: Stick out your tongue: Ask the person to stick out their tongue - if the tongue is crooked, if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke. If he or she has trouble with any one of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. Three Four Simple Ways to Identify a Stroke Stroke ID: Remember the first three letters: STR Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.