Stroke Network Volunteer (originally from April 2010)

I added a volunteer position to my life this week. I am the new News Administrator for the Stroke Network. The Stroke Network comprises a network of websites geared toward supporting stroke survivors, and loved ones of stroke survivors. The creator of the Stroke Network contacted me through Facebook and asked if I would be willing to take on this

position. They needed someone with an academic background.

Mostly what I do as News Administrator is choose articles to be shared with the public via their website. I WAS told to choose only stroke-related articles. Too bad, because I would have added an article about the whale that breached and landed on a sailboat!

My first thought upon reading that story was surprise because whales are intelligent, and non-aggressive, and generally don’t fall on boats. Then I thought, humans are generally intelligent and don’t usually drive into buildings or on sidewalks! There is always a potential for danger when someone is in close proximity to a 40,000 pound whale or a 3000 pound car.

I am wondering now what would happen if a whale had a stroke, or a large brain tumor. If a whale started experiencing the symptoms I experienced, dizziness and nausea, what would happen? They could certainly breach in the wrong place or fall in the wrong direction.

While there would obviously be no treatment for a whale that had a stroke, there are some very effective treatments for humans that have had a stroke. These treatments, however, must be administered within hours of the onset of the stroke–which means that early recognition of stroke symptoms is critical. Here is a list of signs that a person is having a stroke, from the American Stroke Association.

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body

• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding

• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes

• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination

• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

If any of these symptoms are exhibited, go to the nearest emergency room.