Good morning.

Have you ever rendered first aid for somebody having a stroke?


Now, now - everybody is OK. Not too long ago, I was training some Scouts here in the extremely liberal, almost socialist "People's Republic of Cambridge" (to use the popular insult)

Cantabrigians, of course, wear that term like a badge of honor.

In any case, we were talking about signs and symptoms of various severe medical issues, and for a stroke, there's a particular acronym. "FAST".

F - "face". Somebody having a stroke may have asymmetric muscle movements, or one side of their face may be droopy.

A - "arm". Have your suspected stroke victim lift up their arms like they are being crucified. The affected side cannot be lifted as high.

S - "speech". Somebody having a stroke may slur their speech, or be incoherent, or just make gibberish sounds. JUST LIKE THE PRESIDENT.

T - "time". The more time you waste rendering aid, the lower the chance of recovery.


You'll note the all caps. Yes, I said that. In a room full of Scouts, parents, and other leaders.

Everybody understood what I meant.

That's it. That's the blog today.