Rita Gormley

[Judy Keisling <keisling@swbell.net>]

This is a very difficult message for me to write.

Many of you are aware that
Rita Gormley had a massive stroke early Saturday 
morning. Tom was not ready
to have something posted until he knew for sure the 
extent of the damage and
prognosis.

However, because so many have been asking about her and wondering
what was going 
on, I just talked with Tom and he has asked me to share this
information with 
all of you.

For those of you who were at the Fall Board
meeting in Portland, you know that 
Rita was there and feeling just fine.  At
the meeting she was awarded the 
Distinguished Service Medal (appropriately
so) and was most appreciative of 
receiving this honor.  Tom said she was fine
when she got home and throughout 
last Friday night; there was no signs of a
problem prior to the stroke; it just 
happened without warning about 1 am on
Saturday morning.

The MRI done Sunday showed irreversible damage to Rita's
right brain with no 
hope of recovery.  Up until yesterday she was in ICU  on
a ventilator and being 
tube fed.  


Last night she was moved to the Hospice
wing of the hospital; the feeding tube 
has been removed as has the
ventilator.  She is breathing on her own, but has 
not, and is not likely, to
regain consciousness.  


Tom said that she is comfortable and being very well
cared for.  They put a gown 
on her that has tiny siamese kittens on it
(wouldn't that have made her smile!)  
At this point, it is a just a matter of
time until the end.

Their 3 children are with Tom and he said that they are
all holding up as well 
as could be expected under the circumstances.

Please
keep Rita and the Gormley family in your thoughts and prayers as they go
through this difficult and heartbreaking time.

Judy Keisling

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