[NFBF-Tampa] Gloria

[Noe Villeda]

Hi d'm so, so sorry to hear about Gloria.  She will certainly be missed by
all.


 
From: NFBF-Tampa <nfbf-tampa-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Dan hicks via
NFBF-Tampa
Sent: Saturday, July 15, 2023 5:23 PM
To: 'NFB of Florida Tampa Chapter List' <nfbf-tampa at nfbnet.org>
Cc: danjhicks at gmail.com
Subject: [NFBF-Tampa] Gloria
 
Hello friends, 
 
It is with extreme sadness that I have to report to all of you that my wife,
Gloria Mills Hicks, passed away early this morning. She had been having some
confusion issues which may have been related to blood pressure issues - two
high and then too low - that had resulted in two hospital stays April 15
thru April 22 at Tampa General Hospital, and then April 26 through April 30
at HCA Sough Tampa. 
 
The month of May saw several doctors' appointments and some home nursing
care. There was some improvement. In June My daughters Katie and Robin,
along with Robin's husband Nick and their two six-year-old twin boys, Rory
and Damien, all came to see us, and Katie stayed with us. Gloria was happy
to see them and interacted with all of them and seemed pretty much okay. 
 
She had tests scheduled for the end of June and it was when I was trying to
get her ready to go for the tests that she became very disoriented and
confused. I didn't know what else to do - I called 911 and she went back in
HCA Memorial hospital on June 30 for two weeks. Gloria developed breathing
issues, and they put a breathing mask on her. She was under some sedation,
but she could still talk a little and laugh. She knew who our dog Luke was
and she knew who I was. On about June 8 - one week ago - the OCR doctor said
the breathing was worse and they would have to put her on a ventilator. Now
she was much more sedated, though nurses urged me to talk to her because she
could still hear me, at some level at least. I talked to her pulmonologist,
and he said he thought this would not be for too long. The hospital wanted
to move her to another hospital, an acute care hospital called Kindred. I
was not in favor of the move, but the pulmonologist se had been seeing did
rounds at this Kindred location, and their online reviews were good. I
visited her every day at Kindred, just as I had a TGH and HCA, and I was
impressed that their staff seemed so attentive to her. The pulmonologist
said that she was only receiving 40 per cent oxygen, down from an original
100 per cent, and he did not see any reason why we could not start weaning
her off the ventilator early next week. 
 
I got a call at 2:34 AM this morning (July 15, 2023) from Kindred, telling
me that Gloria had taken a bad turn, that there were serious oxygen issues,
and they I needed to come there right away. I took a Lyft and got there in
less than an hour. There was a cluster of people around her bed, and two
people were doing CPR. The ICU doctor told me that they had been doing CPR
for about an hour and there was no hope of her regaining consciousness.  I
told them they could stop - it is what Gloria would have wanted. They called
it at 3:49 AM this morning. 
 
I have called my family members and Gloria's brother Mike, and he had
informed much of her family. 
 
Gloria's brother Mike and I are meeting with the funeral home on Monday. I
know that Gloria wanted a Celebration of Life ceremony, rather than a sad
and gloomy funeral. I will let you all know when I have details. 
 
I feel very sad and numb and very lost. Gloria has been the center of my
world for more than 30 years. I always told her I was proud of her because
she had accomplished so much. She has changed me in so many ways, as I have
changed her. I will always love her. I am glad to have my family and friends
and Luke. I am glad to have so many wonderful memories of Gloria and all of
our time together.
 
Dan Hicks
 
 
 
 
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