Newsletter - Archive  Jan 28, 2010

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Editarian: Jerry Allen                                                                        

Club Photographer : Brad Mikel 

Next Week

February 3, 2010

State Securities and Banking Commissioner

Fred Joseph

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This Week

January 27, 2010

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I had a stroke, boy was I lucky!

Joe Sabah, speaker, author, publisher and Diana Hall, official "Sidekick" tag teamed as Joe told his first hand experience of surviving a stroke.  Joe awoke one morning and couldn't get out of bed.  His roommate helped him.  He said his first mistake was going to the ER.  Since he was conscious and not bleeding he was put in a queue to await his turn.  He should have called 911. 

There are two kinds of strokes:  hemorrhage or blood clot.

Blood clots diagnosed and treated within the first 2 hours can be removed leaving little permanent damage.  Since there is no way of knowing which kind of stroke is being experienced, immediate treatment is required.

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Fire Chief Mike Garcia added expert opinion from two vantage points:

His wife has experienced two strokes (and is doing well).

As Fire Chief, Mike said that his EMTs are especially equipped to treat stroke victims on the way to the ER.  On the way to the ER, a call is made to alert the Stroke Alert Team.  This is important so that immediate treatment can be started on arrival.

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Diana said that there are 770,000 strokes per year in the US.  25% happen to people under the age of 62.  62% of deaths happen to women.

Chief Mike said that his teams answer 32,000 calls a year and would rather go to a false alarm than allow someone to die.

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3 ways to recognize a stroke:

Ask them to smile, if one side of face droops, Call 911.

Ask them to lift both arms, if one arm can't be raised, Call 911

Ask them to repeat a simple sentence, (Mary had a little Lamb).  If the words are slurred or replaced with a nonsensical one, Call 911.

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In the Q & A period, the question was asked, should a person experiencing a stroke be given aspirin?  The answer is no since if it is a hemorrhagic stroke, aspirin will aggravate the bleeding.

Col. Al Kirkman,Jr. who is chairman of Denver Fisher House presented Diana Whye and the Haiti Fund a check for $1,000 from Fisher House to purchase Shelter Boxes.  Fisher House is an organization that supports families attending recovering veterans in the hospital.  Col. Al is directing a fund drive to raise $2,000,000 to be used to build a 21 suite home for families.  Col. Al said that he had a number of financial advisors ask to handle the funds. Fisher House selected club member Ev Sequeira .

Marci Sis announced Flower Power for this year.  Flower Power is a combined effort of Metro Rotary Clubs to box flowers on the last night of the Home and Garden Show Sunday 2/24 and then distribute them the next day to retirement and nursing homes.  Last year 7200 flowers were distributed.  Our club distributes to Dayton Street Retirement Home and Cherry Creek Nursing Home.  Part of the fun is to gather for dinner and drinks after the boxing at either Bubba Gumps or Ted's Montana Grill.

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Kimberly Armitage had her daughter Danielle with her selling Girl Scout Cookies.  Danielle and her troop were recognized for contributing $200 to Aurora Rotary Charities this year.

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Dave Williams looked on as Skip Schlenk circulated a card for Bob and Helen Donaldson.  Bob is having difficulty coming to meetings now.

The Rotary Club of Aurora gratefully acknowledges the sponsors who support our website Please click on the Sponsors name to visit their website and see what services and specials they offer. Aurora Chamber of Commerce Body Beautiful Collision Repair Dave Williams & Associates LLC Doug Evans Agency State Farm Insurance Edward Jones Ev Sequeira Wagner Law Office Craig Wagner YMCA of The Rockies Please click here to find out more about these sponsors.