Stroke is one of my “scary” things. We all have them, a health issue we are particularly scared of. Some people will say skin cancer and they always use sunscreen, some people would say lung cancer and it’s why they quit smoking. For me, it’s a stroke. I think it’s because of how sudden it can happen and how unprepared you are.

Speaking with a friend recently, she told me her father had just suffered a stroke. I know a little bit about the first signs of stroke so I asked if they understood what was happening at the time. They didn’t. And she admits they wasted a lot of time before dialing 000, which in hindsight was valuable time.

So I am using this blog for a short education on strokes.

There are 4 main points to look for and an easy way to remember – F.A.S.T.

Face. The face will be giveaway. Is one side of their face drooped?

Arms. Get the person to lift their arms. They should be able to lift both.

Speech. Is their speech slurred?

Time. Time is absolutely critical. If you see any of these signs (even just one of them) call 000.

My friend’s dad is now looking at months of intensive therapy and may not walk again. If he does learn to walk again, it will be potentially years down the track. For now, he will require round the clock care. Fortunately for my friend’s parents, they are quite wealthy and own their own house so financially they won’t feel any pressure.

But if this happened to you or your family, could you afford to be there for them through such a long, emotional journey back to wellness? Could you take the time off work and still pay your mortgage? Could you afford to make modifications to your house, including wheelchair access? Trauma insurance, and even Total and Permanent Disablement insurance could be life changing in this circumstance and we urge you to consider how such an event would affect your family forever.

SHANNON BENNETT

SOUTHERN CROSS FINANCIAL