The British Stroke Association just published what we’ve always known: Stoicism increases the morbidity of stroke. In particular, in this time of strained EMS and hospital resources, there is in the back of our minds the sense that “I don’t want to be an unnecessary burden to them.”
Well, in the back of your brain (perhaps next to that thought) there might be an even better, ischemic reason to dial 911 (999 in Britain) and get under all the Clinicians’ brilliance and authority immediately.
And consider also— regardless— carrying a packet of powdered aspirin with you in your wallet. If not for you, then for the one sitting next to you on the bus who’s having the same experience. Just one, under the tongue, STAT, while you’re waiting for help to arrive….
At this moment, what else do you have on your schedule to do?
And if it turns out there’s an intracranial bleed, your aspirin isn’t going to be the source of the problem, and you’ll hopefully have spurned them (or yourself) to get on the INSIDE of an ER immediately.