MVHS Uses Misspelled Sign to Highlight Signs of a Stroke

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. That's what MVHS did with a misspelled billboard promoting the stroke center.

The sign is missing an I. It reads "TIME IS CRITCAL" instead of CRITICAL. MVHS used the misprinted sign to shine light on the signs of a stroke, writing on Facebook, "Well, now that "I" got your attention, let me tell you about the signs and symptoms of stroke."

"I" don't know if the misspelling was an oversight or a calculated plan. Either way, the billboard is being noticed and MVHS is using it to their advantage......BRILLIANT!

If you suspect a stroke it's important to act FASTER, because every minute counts.

*Face - drooping or numbness on one side of the face versus the other. Ask the person to smile to make the droop more apparent.
*Arms - one arm being weaker or more numb than the other. Raise both arms up and hold them for a count of ten. If one arm falls or begins to drop, then this could be a sign of a stroke.
*Stability - sometimes individuals will fall, feel very dizzy or be unable to stand without assistance. Difficulty maintaining balance, trouble walking and loss of coordination are all possible stroke symptoms.
*Talking - changes in speech including slurring, garbled, nonsensical words, or the inability to respond appropriately. Individuals experiencing a stroke may be difficult to understand, or they may have difficulty understanding others. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like “The sky is blue.”
*Eyes - visual changes occur suddenly and can include complete vision loss in one eye, double vision, and partial loss of vision in one or both eyes.
*React - call 911 immediately if you recognize any of these symptoms. Call even if the symptoms go away and try to remember when they first began.

MVHS has the only designated primary stroke center in the Mohawk Valley where "suspected stroke patients are fully evaluated, diagnosed and treated by the “Stroke Alert” team within the first 60 minutes of arrival."

Visit MVHealthSystem.org to learn more about strokes and how to reduce the risk.