Dr Keane was consulted by Rita Sullivan in August 1998 when becoming distressed that she was suffering a memory loss after having collapsed with carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a faulty gas fire fitted by Steve McDonald in July of the previous year.
A concerned Alec Gilroy made an appointment with the doctor where she told the practitioner that she felt the same way that she did when she was coming down with flu, but the symptoms seemed permanent. On top of that she conceded that she was irritable with people and liable to forget what she was doing within seconds and even forgetting the identity of people she had known for years. Dr Keane told her it was the usual aftereffects of the poisoning that she had suffered and that for most people it would clear up in time. He was worried though that Rita lived alone, and she told him about the help Alec gave her. Hearing that Alec was in the waiting room, Dr Keane asked him to join the consultation. Alec assured the doctor that he would take over the organisation of Rita's life and the lady herself was recommended to keep a notepad by her and keep a sort of diary of the day's events to help her unreliable memory. He concluded by saying that time was her best ally. Alec also asked the doctor if Rita should continue to run The Kabin as he felt it was too much of a strain for her and was pleased when the doctor agreed with him that it would be best if she sold the shop. Rita recovered her old fire and firmly told the two men that her business was her life and there was no way she was going to do that.