Sally,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. You have come to a good place to ask the questions you are asking.

The first issue you need to understand is the minimum standards for return to play by those organizations and researchers who understand concussions. No return to play guidelines allow the athlete to return to play in a collision sport if they still have any symptoms whatsoever. Your continuing head aches are a serious reason to stay off the field. You are playing injured.

There is a concept used by many athletic trainers. It is OK to play hurt (in pain) but not OK to play injured. A sore muscle can be painful and NOT be a cause to stay off the field. A injured (pulled or torn) muscle is a reason to stay off the field.

A brain does not have a hurt condition. It only has injured or not injured conditions. If your brain is symptomatic, it is a sign to stay off the field.

If your team uses the ImPACT or other computerized system for baseline and post concussion testing, you need to know those systems do not indicate when it is safe to return to play. They can not indicate when the brain has healed enough to be tolerant of another impact.

As for your academic future. You may have recovered your photographic memory but the fact that you acknowledge that you lost it indicates the intensity of your prior injury. Your next concussion may not only cause you to lose you photographic memory but it may also cause you to lose working memory functions.

There are three kinds of memory, immediate, short term, and long term. Immediate and short term are used for daily functioning. There are visual and auditory versions of all three. You have already experienced a loss of visual memory functions and fortunately regain them. If you put your brain under stress, you will likely see a return of some of your memory struggles.

Another concussion may cause you to lose those visual immediate and short term memory functions with a risk of the loss being prolonged or permanent. Please believe me when I tell you how hard it is to lose immediate and short term memory functions. I have lived this way for 12 years. I can walk into a friend's house for the first time and not be able to remember how to find my way back to the front door.

As a valedictorian, you have an expectation of high achievement. Cognitive and memory dysfunctions make life miserable for high achievers. You know what you used to be able to achieve and the dysfunctions become quite aggravating.

My advice to you is simple. Stop any risk of further damage. You have too much life to look forward to and lots of academic achievement to attain.

I also recommend you start a brain nutrition regimen and make it a lifestyle. Your brain will be much less tolerant of stress. If there is any way to prevent or delay dementia in later life, brain nutrition is the first step. Stay away from alcohol and caffeine except for maybe a single serving per day.

Please feel free to ask more questions. There is lots of good knowledge and support here.

My best to you.