chiron,

Your experience is very common. I find it helpful to explain the symptoms that is being aggravated. In your case as in mine, it appears that you have one or both of two symptoms. Lack of any ability to multitask and/or a loss of immediate and short term auditory memory functions.

I have severe short term and immediate auditory and visual memory deficits. I can only receive and process one item at a time. This also is complicvated by problems with multi-tasking.

I can usually get a good response by just saying I have an auditory processing disorder and need them to speak slower with single issues at a time.

The multi-tasking cvan be a struggle. The chiro office asked a question that required a multi-processing answer. Do you want to schedule a folllow up visit? actually means: Do you want to come back? When dop you want to come back? which means you have to answer; When are you available to come back?
So... A single question becomes three questions.

You will need to learn to break it up yourself.

Your response can be: Yes, I want another appointment. She will likely ask 'When' Now, you can respond with your conflicts " I can't do it on Thurs or Friday" She will respond with other available dates.

If you try this system of breaking the question into individual parts, you can forget the second and third parts because the other party will usually follow up with a question about the second, then third part.

This takes a bit of humilitry to get thios system learned. After a while, it will become a normal response.

Believe me, this works. I am highly intelligent but have horrible difficulties responding to even simple questions that are multipart.

I often stop and take a breath as I try to simplify the question. This relaxation skill helps lower the stress to your brain so you can process the question.

I hope you understand what I mean.

shezbut is exactly right. One thing at a time.

You will also likely have a difficulty with accented speach. If someone has a foreign accent, you brain nhas toi multi-task to first, trtanslate the accented wortds, than process the sentence. I routinely have to ask to speak to someone who speaks English as their mother tongue.

My best to you.

chiron, I finally figured out what SAH is. Sub Arachnoid Hemorrhage.

btw, Focal injuries like SAH and CVA (stroke)usually have a different recovery path due to the focal nature of the injury. Most concussions have a diffuse/global impact on the brain. This leaves many different brain functions struggling at the same time. Strokes with massive swelling can have global impacts on the brain.