Rob Ford discharged from hospital after cancer surgery
Toronto councillor, former mayor, underwent surgery in early May to remove tumour
Rob Ford, former Toronto mayor and current city councillor, was discharged from a local hospital on Tuesday, two weeks after his cancer surgery.
Ford underwent surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital on May 11 to remove a cancerous tumour in his abdomen.
The procedure went as expected and doctors removed all the existing growths without causing damage to any internal structures, according to Dan Jacobs, Ford's chief of staff.
Ford is now in the next stage of his treatment to build his strength at home, Jacobs said in a statement on Tuesday.
Just an hour after he was discharged, a smiling and thinner Ford appeared at city hall and spoke to reporters.
Ford said he was told to go home, but he wanted to stop by city hall to "make a couple calls" and "touch base with a few people."
Tumour donated to research
Ford said he was discharged right on time — doctors estimated it would take about two weeks after the surgery — but the first recovery stage was filled with "excruciating pain."
Stopped in to Councillor <a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoRobFord">@TorontoRobFord</a>'s office to welcome him back & wish him well in recovery <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TOpoli?src=hash">#TOpoli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Toronto?src=hash">#Toronto</a> <a href="http://t.co/aH6vRda2Yn">pic.twitter.com/aH6vRda2Yn</a>
—@JohnTory"For the first 10 days, I was just basically crying like a baby." He said. "It was so painful. I couldn't get up, I couldn't do anything."
The cancer journey has been an eye-opening experience, Ford said, and he wants to remind people not to take anything for granted.
"I wouldn't want anybody to go through what I went through, but hope people can learn from what I have gone through," he said.
Ford added that he has donated his tumour to research.
Ford, who will turn 46 on Thursday, said he expects to spend about four months recovering from the surgery.
He was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 in the midst of his campaign to be re-elected as mayor. He dropped out of the mayor's race and won a council seat.
Hopes to save the Gardiner
Ford also wasted no time before weighing in on one of the most contentious debates currently in front of city councillors: the future of the eastern stretch of the Gardiner Expressway.
- What you need to know about the Gardiner options
- John Tory favours hybrid option for eastern Gardiner Expressway
Ford said he wants to save the eastern Gardiner in its existing form, and opposes tearing down the aging expressway in favour of a surface route. Nor is he a fan of the so-called hybrid option that would reroute the expressway.
A final report will be presented to council — with a recommendation from staff about the best option — on June 21.
Ford said he will try to get back to city hall in time for the June vote.