How bad are they going to feel if something happens to O'Conner's husband in the mean time?
Feelings? These crooks? LOL.
O'Connor doesn't >have< to stay. She was the one who decided that she would stay until she was replaced--there's ample precedent for an 8judge cout between appointments. She can leave if her husband gets worse--in fact, she's free to change her mind and leave now. In practice, it wouldn't make much difference if she did because SCOTUS itself will take a long recess for Thanksgiving/Christmas.