My mother had been having severe back pains in mid to late 1990. She went to the doctor finally about it right after Christmas, had a cat scan done, where it was shown some markings. The doctor wanted her in the hospital for further tests.
She walked into the hospital January 8 - after taking down the Christmas decorations and grocery shopping for Dad while she was in the hospital. I talked with her on the phone that morning and she sounded up - "I'm just glad I'm going to get this pain fixed."
Two weeks later she was dead. They did a biospsy which showed malignancy. January 15 they performed surgery which confirmed cancer in her liver and spreading all over her abdominal area. Jan. 24th, she died.
She may have lived somewhat longer but with ever more increasing pain, I'm sure. I think that if surgery is performed, the body has to take alot of the energy used for fighting the cancer and send it to healing the surgical incisions and it's just too much.
My mom had a different type of brain cancer, a glioblastoma. She had always been in excellent health; but started having balance problems. She fell and hurt her shoulder and my dad took her to the ER (happened in the middle of the night). They did routine blood work; found abnormalities, did more tests. Within a day or two they found the tumor. Like Mr. O'Connor, mom had infection problems from the shunt inserted to relieve pressure (her tumor was invasive and inoperable). She was a tiny woman, but the grand mal seizures she had were horrific. From the news accounts Mr. O'Connor's situation sounds so similar to what happened with mom. My prayers are with the family.