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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.
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He was taken off life support yesterday and is said to be on his own.
If (when) he passes city council president, 26 year old Luke Ravenstahl will become the city's 59th mayor and also be the youngest Pittsburgh mayor ever.
prisoner6
prisoner6
Prayers for him and his family.
However, and I hesitate to mention this, but I have to wonder how long he may have lived had the doctors not begun their "work".
Do you happen to know what his symptoms were before he went into the hospital? I don't know what they were. That is why I am asking.
Praying and hoping for a miracle...............
I was thinking the same thing. As far as symptoms he was admitted to the hospital July tenth thought to be suffering from overwork and the "flu". Mild headaches and an overall tiredness. He was admitted to get some rest and that's when they did the testing that discovered abnormalities. It turned out he had 4 small tumors on his brain.
A friend of mine is a registered nurse who has been with patients with the same type of cancer. She told me that people who she's had experince with usually pass around 45 days after diagnosis. Mayor O'Connor is in this 52nd day I believe.
prisoner6
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The mayor was admitted to Shadyside Hospital after visiting the ER there with flu-like symptoms the first week of July. He only went to the ER as his doctor was out of town at the time.
He was diagnosed with this very rare form of cancer within a couple of days, aggressive treatment was initiated within just a few days afer that.
very sad.
How sad to wait out all of those Murphy years only to be stricken months into office.
SD
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.
I will secound that!!!! It tears down the immune system.
My prayers for the mayor and his family as well.
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.
Thanks for the fine reply, really ........... but that sentence is very hard to believe.
Also, and not to be argumentative, .......... I read over and over again that this type of cancer is extremely rare. Your nurse friend must really get around.
All of that I knew previously ....... but the question I asked in the earlier post you did not answer (not that you needed to).
My mother also had a glioblastoma. This was nearly 20 years ago, and the the doctors didn't recommend any treatment at all. They gave her two months to live after the diagnosis, and she passed away quietly at home two months later. We wondered at the time if treatment would have helped, but it appears there was nothing that could have been done.
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