THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – Friday, May 17, 2019 Page 19 CHA Neurologist shares advice for Stroke Awareness Month By Shruti Sonni, MD C cian Did you know that each year more than 795,000 people suffer from a stroke across the United States? About 610,000 of these incidents are the first time someone has a stroke. Stroke is the dominant cause of chronic disability and can reduce mobility in more than 50% of survivors ages 65 and over. There are two main types of stroke: One is from a clot blocking a major blood vessel in the brain (also known ambridge Health Alliance Neurology Physias ‘ischemic stroke’) and the other is sudden bleeding inside the brain tissue (known as ‘hemorrhagic stroke’). Hopefully, you have not experienced a stroke in your immediate family or close circle of friends, but if you have, you know that it can change everything in an instant. Stroke survivors often have mood changes, and their behavior can seem confusing to friends and family members. When an individual suffers from a stroke, long-standing family roles can reverse. Young adults may have to care for aging parents or siblings may have to take on nurturing one another. Quick reaction can often reduce brain damage caused by a stroke. Here are some of the signs and symptoms to be on the lookout for: • Intense headache with seemingly no cause • Difficulty walking, weakness in the arms or leg, loss of coordination or dizziness • Trouble seeing out of both or one eye, or double vision • Speech issues and problems understanding or producing language When a person is having a stroke, every second is crucial. The treatments that work best are available only if the stroke is recognized and diagnosed within 4.5 hours, though recent studies show that there are interventions that can be performed up to 24 hours in certain cases to reverse the deficits from a stroke. This does not mean that we should wait to see if the person starts getting better. Time wasted is brain tissue lost! If you believe a person is having a stroke, use the F.A.S.T. test: Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? Arms: Ask them to lift their arms. Does one arm drift down? Speech: Ask the person to speak a simple sentence a few times. Is the person’s speech slurred? Time: If you witness any of these signs, dial 9-1-1 immediately. Please, as we mentioned above, call 9-1-1 if you believe that you or someone you know is having a stroke. If you are exploring options in care, let us introduce you to the compassionate team at Cambridge Health Alliance by calling 617665-1305 or visit www.challiance.org/cha/find-a-doctor. Live racing returns to Suffolk Downs on Saturday and Sunday E AST BOSTON, Mass. – Wicked Freud, a sevenyear-old gelding who hails from the barn of Jason Servis, the trainer of Maximum Security – the first-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby that was disqualified and placed 17th – is slated to race on Saturday as live racing resumes at Suffolk Downs in conjunction with the simulcast of the Preakness Stakes. The featured Suffolk Downs race with Wicked Freud will be a $55,000 allowance/optional claiming race at about 7 ½ furlongs on the turf with a field of nine. For Saturday, more than 100 horses have been entered with more than $500,000 in purses and incentives on the line as the track kicks off the first of three scheduled live racing and food truck festival weekends for its final live racing season. The entries include familiar local horsemen and jockeys, including Jay Bernardini, Karl Grusmark and Tammi Piermarini: the third all-time leading woman rider in history. Over the course of the weekend, there will be four stakes races restricted to horses foaled in Massachusetts – the $50,000 Rise Jim Stakes and the $50,000 Isadorable Stakes on Saturday along with the $50,000 African Prince Stakes and $50,000 George F. Brown Memorial Dirt Mile Stakes on Sunday. The popular Massachusetts-bred Dr. Blarney will be trying to win the Rise Jim Stakes for the third consecutive year for owner and breeder Joseph DiRico. “Once again we look forward to welcoming back racing fans and to providing an opportunity for local owners, trainers and Massachusetts breeders to run here for purses and incentives enhanced by the state’s Race Horse Development Fund,” said Suffolk Downs COO Chip Tuttle. “We appreciate the assistance and cooperation of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and its staff in staging these festival weekends. And, we look at this final season of live racing here as a celebration as we continue to work with the New England HBPA and the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association on our plan to restore and refurbish the Great Barrington Fair Grounds in order to preserve live racing and its related economic and agricultural benefits in the state.” Prior to resuming live racing, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Safety & Integrity Alliance extended the accreditation of Suffolk Downs. The track has continuously maintained its status since receiving its initial Alliance accreditation in 2011. Alliance certification standards address an extensive list of safety and integrity concerns within six broad areas: reporting and preventing injury, creating a safer racing environment, ensuring uniform medication and testing; ensuring jockey health and welfare; ensuring aftercare and transition of retired racehorses and ensuring wagering security. Post time for the 11-race card is at 12:55 p.m. and gates open at 11:00 a.m. In addition to live racing, the track will be hosting a food truck festival featuring food trucks from numerous local vendors, craft beer, live music and family fun activities. Live racing will continue on Sunday with 11 races, and the track will again offer approximately $500,000 in purses and awards. About Suffolk Downs Built by 3,000 workers in just 62 days when Massachusetts authorized pari-mutuel wagering in 1935, the historic track has been a showcase for some of the most famous names in Thoroughbred racing history, including Seabiscuit, Whirlaway, John Henry, Cigar and Skip Away. For more information, visit www. suffolkdowns.com. Come celebrate the end of an era. Join us for big family fun as we say farewell to Boston’s legendary track. MAY 18 & 19 | JUNE 8 & 9 | JUNE 29 & 30 11:00 am to 5:00 pm • First Post 12:55 pm FREE ADMISSION & FREE PARKING LIVE THOROUGHBRED RACING · FOOD TRUCKS · FAMILY FUN ACTIVITIES 525 MCCLELLAN HIGHWAY, EAST BOSTON • 617-567-3900 ON THE BLUE LINE @SuffolkDowns TheHometownFavorite SUFFOLKDOWNS.COM Open Year-Round For Simulcasting
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