Living with a memory impairment and solving problems with communicating

(Chapter 12 Navigating Relationships While Living with a Memory Impairment & Chapter 26 MCI Tool Box in my book)

If the conversation is too long, chances are I'm not going to remember very much of it anyway. While I'm listening to someone talk, I'm trying to pull out the important words that will make it possible for me to remember and to be able to respond. Sometimes if they are talking for a while, it will be harder for me to stay focused on their words especially if I already know what my response is going to be. Once I know what I am going to say, I am concentrating on remembering it until they are done talking. There is a lot of self-control going on with me so that I don't interrupt the person talking because I'm afraid I'm going to forget my words.