This struck a chord with me, as it describes my own situation following several strokes in a short time caused by prolonged blood loss. I have made my family and friends aware of the problem and they have been quite helpful in watching for such behavior and clarifying their conversations when necessary and being patient in waiting for me to formulate a response. As of yet, I don’t substitute words but do inject long gaps in conversations as I mentally search for appropriate words.

I’ve always had a better than average vocabulary and speaking skills, but lately much prefer expressing myself via a keyboard. The affliction doesn’t appear to be as dramatic when I can communicate through my fingers rather than speaking, or perhaps the pauses aren’t embarrassing when one can take as long as necessary before hitting enter.

Some informal IQ testing I’ve done would indicate a loss of about 20 points, but it’s difficult to attribute that to my health problem or even know if it’s an apples to apples comparison without much more detailed testing. Luckily, I’ve been blessed with some points to spare, which I can take no credit for personally. I’d even gladly give another 20 or so points to the President for the sake of the country if that were possible. It would leave me well above the point of drooling on myself and could even make worrying about my country’s future less stressful.