Posted on 09/01/2006 3:08:00 AM PDT by prisoner6
POSTED: 11:06 am EDT August 31, 2006
UPDATED: 11:23 pm EDT August 31, 2006
PITTSBURGH -- A representative has confirmed the suspected gravity of Mayor Bob O'Connor's medical situation late Thursday night.
After a nearly two-month battle with a rare form of brain cancer, O'Connor was taken off life support and is living "hour to hour," mayoral spokesman Dick Skrinjar said.
The mayor was resting comfortably with family and close friends by his side at UPMC Shadyside, according to Skrinjar.
As long as he is alive, O'Connor will remain the city's mayor -- a job he has held for less than nine months.
In accordance with the city charter, City Council President Luke Ravenstahl will be sworn in as the new mayor -- Pittsburgh's youngest leader ever, at age 26 -- after O'Connor passes.
Stay with WTAE Channel 4 Action News and ThePittsburghChannel.com for updates. When WTAE Channel 4 begins live on-air coverage, we will stream that video online.
The 61-year-old O'Connor has been hospitalized since July 10 with primary central nervous system lymphoma. Doctors said he has four small tumors on his brain.
O'Connor was downgraded to serious condition on Monday after brain scans showed seizure activity, doctors said. A drain to remove fluid buildup from his brain became infected and was replaced, doctors said.
Before Skrinjar's statement, the most recent update about O'Connor had been the one issued Tuesday afternoon, which simply said he was being treated with anti-seizure medicine and antibiotics.
Related Links:
More Allegheny County News
Copyright 2006 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
My mom lived six months and one day from the night she went into the ER. A neurologist who was treating mom proclaimed, matter of factly, that she had 'less than six months.' She was in a coma the last couple of months but my dad and I truly believed that she had to prove the doc wrong. Coincidently, my mom was 1st generation, Irish and she (like Mayor O'Connon) had striking snow white hair. I know hair color means nothing, but when I read of the Mayor's diagnosis, I just thought of the similarities.
Very sad, but this does not surprise me. I had a friend in the medical field that told me when he heard about first treatment not working that he would never leave the hospital.
Prayers up for him and his family.
Sad news. Thanks to all on FR who have been praying for our mayor.
May the Lord comfort and strengthen Mr. O'Connor's family at this time of sorrow.
He seemed healthy till the doctors got hold of him. They hit him with radiation,drilled holes in his head,bombarded him with pills. He might very well be sitting at his desk right now if he didn't go into the hospital.
____________________________
I really wonder about that , too. If the mayor had waited to see his regular physician, or even if he would have gone to South Side or one of the other community hospitals' ER instead of an institution which specializes in these rare and dread diseases, he might still be looking for a diagnosis at this point in time. And he might be in better condition as well.
Prayers for the Mayor and his family.
The man was sick and needed to see a doctor or he wouldn't have gone to the ER. It's hard for patients to decide what to do when diagnosed with cancer. Do you try to beat it or not? It's human nature to want to 'do something' to try to get better.
We had a friend who was diagnosed with Acute leukemia at the age of 26. He was very tired and was having some flu like symptoms. He was diagnosed about 6 days before he died.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.