Maggie Daley To Remain Hospitalized A Few More Days
UPDATED 04/20/11 5:39 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago First Lady Maggie Daley is expected to stay in the hospital for a few more days, after surgery to replace a metal rod in her leg.
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On Wednesday, Mayor Richard M. Daley said wife is doing well, and when asked if this latest surgery is just a minor setback, he expressed optimism.
"My wife is very strong. She's not going to let anybody set her back. She's going to move forward. She's been very strong in this and after school programs. All last week, she was very, very busy," Mayor Daley said.
The mayor spoke at the dedication of senior housing in the Roseland neighborhood on the Far South Side, where resident Willie Dow wished Mrs. Daley well.
"We going to try to ease a little prayer in for his wife, you know she's sick in the hospital," Down said. "Send a special prayer for her wishing a speedy recovery."
The original titanium rod was placed in Mrs. Daley's leg last year because cancer had weakened the bone. She was admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital due to severe pain.
But Daley's primary physician, Dr. Steven Rosen, stressed the pain should not be viewed as a progression of her cancer, but rather related to an orthopedic issue that required replacing a metal implant, the release said.
Dr. Bradley Merk, an orthopedic surgeon at Northwestern, performed the 2 1/2-hour procedure on Tuesday, saying it was successful and the first lady was in good spirits heading into the surgery.
The mayor told CBS 2's Derrick Blakley that Maggie is expected to remain at the hospital for a few more days to undergo physical therapy.
"With the placing the rod in there ... they'll get her up today and she'll be walking, you know, getting motion back into that, which is really important," Mayor Daley said. "She feels very confident and I want to thank all the doctors and nurses. They're great people there."
The surgery was just the latest chapter in Maggie Daley's very public, nine-year battle with metastatic breast cancer. She was first diagnosed with cancer in 2002 and it spread to her leg in late 2009.
But her fight with cancer hasn't diminished her public service. She and the mayor have said that won't change after Mayor Daley leaves office.
"I think we'll still be very busy and very engaged. We're not going to disappear," Mrs. Daley said a few weeks ago at a tour of the After School Matters program she founded.
"You talk about a busy person. She doesn't let this deter her from her life mission of helping young children, helping families in Chicago," Mayor Daley said. "Nothing will ever deter her on that mission and she reminds herself that, with the grace of God, she's in good hands."
Derrick Blakley, who has been dealing with his own health issues for the past 14 months, has been treated by some of the same doctors who've treated Maggie Daley.
Blakley said that Dr. Alan Yasko, the surgeon who placed the original titanium rod in Mrs. Daley's leg -- and who died last year -- also placed a metal rod in Blakley's femur as part of his own cancer treatment last year. And Dr. Bradley Merk, who performed the latest surgery on Mrs. Daley, also treated Blakley for ankle fractures.
Blakley said that Mrs. Daley is in good hands with the doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, since he's benefitted from the same level of care himself.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
