Ron Vincoli Memorial Healthy Heart Fair

On Sunday, February 21 the Parish Nurse Ministry held the Healthy Heart Fair in memory of a dedicated parishioner, Ron Vincoli, who not only was a great volunteer for the Parish Nurse Ministry, but also for many other parish activities. 

The Fair served almost 100 individuals by providing screenings, information, and referrals.  Fairfax County Supervisor Penny Gross dropped by to meet the organizers, Parish Nurses Virginia Mullin and Georgine Redmond, and to tour the event.

February is Heart Month

Dear Friends,

February is Heart month.  To celebrate this month Parish Nurse Ministry is sponsoring the Ron Vincoli Memorial Heart Healthy Fair on Valentine’s Day, February 14 from noon to 4pm in the school gymnasium.  (Due to the snow, we had to reschedule to Sunday, February 21.)  


The event is FREE and includes cardiac risk assessment, cholesterol and glucose screening, height, weight, body mass calculation, nutrition counseling, blood pressure screening and health education in hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, smoking cessation, exercise and stress management. 


Participants needing referral to medical care will be helped to enroll for appointments.  Participation prizes will be awarded every half hour.  I hope you will come and enjoy our fair.

I am including the following information on stroke and heart attack  and important guidelines for emergency treatment. 

Check our blog for pictures of our heart healthy fair.

                                                                     

Keep your heart healthy,
Georgine Redmond

HEART ATTACK AND STROKE SYMPTOMS

                                                       HEART ATTACK

·        Chest discomfort- including discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few moments or that comes and goes away and comes back.  It could feel like a squeezing pressure or pain.

·        Discomfort in other parts of the upper body.  Could occur in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

·        Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.

·        Other signs include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea and lightheadedness. (Women are somewhat more likely to have the latter 2 symptoms along with chest discomfort).

Emergency Treatment- even if you are not sure it’s a heart attack don’t wait more than 5 minutes to call 9-1-1.  It is best to call EMS for rapid transport to the emergency room.  Carry 10 grains of aspirin 2 (5 grain tablets) in your wallet.  When you call 9-1-1 you are frequently told to take and chew 2 aspirins.

STROKE

·        Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.

·        Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

·        Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

·        Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.

·        Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Emergency Treatment- Immediately call 9-1-1.

Note the time symptoms began and record.   A clot busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can prevent long term disability for the most common cause of stroke which is a clot.  This drug must be given within 3 hours of stroke symptoms onset. Don’t take aspirin after a stroke as it could be caused by a brain bleed and aspirin would cause additional additional damage.