Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who has recovered from a stroke due to timely treatment, said on Sunday that this was his “third birth”. Giving credit to God and the team of doctors who treated him, the JD(S) second-in-command said he got a new lease of life to be amidst the people of the state.

Before being discharged, Mr Kumaraswamy also appealed to the people not to take the symptoms of stroke and paralysis lightly.

“For the past five days, some of my friends were in fear. If I am talking to you, then I must say that I got a rebirth,” the former chief minister said. “With regard to my health, God has given me a third birth. If a person gets one birth, in my case I am of the opinion that in my 64 years of age, I got my third birth,” he added. Kumaraswamy was hospitalised in the early hours of August 30 at a reputed hospital in the city. Doctors treating him said he had had a stroke, which was then cured completely.

Recalling the turn of events that led to his hospitalisation, the JD(S) leader said he woke up at about 2 am on August 30 and felt his health was not in good condition.

The JD(S) leader said he quickly called his brother-in-law and eminent cardiologist Dr C N Manjunath and later consulted a neurologist who advised him to get admitted.

Kumaraswamy appealed to the people of the state not to waste even a single minute whenever they come across such symptoms.

“I sensed the symptoms of paralysis at 2 am. If had ignored it and said I will go to the doctor in the morning, I would have spent the rest of my life permanently on the bed,” he said.

He said never think that doctors are working to make money because when the patient comes, they sincerely make an effort to save them.

Speaking on the occasion, eminent neurologist and former director of NIMHANS Dr P Satishchandra said people should be aware of the ‘BE-FAST’ method to detect a stroke — where B stands for Balance, E for Eyes, F for Face, A for Arms, S for Speech and T for Time.

“These are the five symptoms. If there is less strength in the arm, if one lisps or stammers, if there is difficulty in eyes, if there are changes in the face, then without wasting time rush to a hospital,” he said.

It is also important to take the patient to the right hospital, Dr Satishchandra added. He said the hospital where the patient is taken should be stroke ready.

“It should be a hospital which has all the equipment and experts required for treating stroke patients. Then we get the time. We call it the ‘golden hour’, which means the patient should be brought within three hours. Once the patient is brought within three hours, we get one hour to start our other works,” the doctor explained.