Indiana governor has massive stroke in Chicago hotel room

CHICAGO -- Indiana Gov. Frank O'Bannon suffered a massive stroke in his Chicago hotel room Monday, and his chances of recovery were uncertain, the neurosurgeon who operated on him said.

"The next 24 to 48 hours is going to be critical," Dr. Wesley Yapor said. "We're hoping he's going to recover function. How much, we don't know."

O'Bannon, a Democrat in his second term was found Monday morning after a staff member called hotel security to say the governor had missed a morning meeting and was not answering his phone, said Northwestern Memorial Hospital spokeswoman Kelly Sullivan.

Yapor said surgeons removed blood from both sides of O'Bannon's brain. The doctor said some of the blood probably came from an injury, suggesting that the governor fell after becoming ill.

Yapor said O'Bannon, 73, was in a drug-induced coma and on a ventilator. He refused to speculate on O'Bannon's chances for recovery.

Strokes are the nation's leading cause of disability in the United States and No. 3 killer. Most are ischemic strokes, caused when arteries feeding the brain are blocked, but some are caused by the bleeding in the brain.

The outcome depends on how much bleeding occurs, how much of the brain is affected, and how long the patient goes without treatment. Survivors can suffer brain damage and often suffer permanent disability including paralysis, loss of speech and vision, and weakness.

"I think we're all just hoping and praying at this point for a quick recovery for the governor, hoping this situation is not as serious as is currently indicated," said state House GOP leader Brian Bosma.

O'Bannon spokeswoman Mary Dieter said the governor had a physical three months earlier and was given "a clean bill of health."

O'Bannon had been staying at the Palmer House Hilton to attend a conference of the Midwest U.S.-Japan Association. His wife, Judy, arrived at the hospital from Indiana along with their daughter Jennifer, and their other adult children were en route, Sullivan said.

Indiana Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan, who was also at the Chicago conference, returned to Indianapolis, where officials researched succession procedures.

Former Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson, said he had seen O'Bannon at two events Sunday night and saw no indication that anything was wrong.

"He was right on. He was affable, he was engaged, active, alert, talked. We talked about mutual problems of Indiana and Illinois," Thompson said.