Mayor Giuliani has been in pain from the radioactive seeds implanted in his prostate to fight cancer.
Friends and aides who normally refuse to discuss the mayor’s medical condition talked openly about Giuliani’s condition Tuesday after the governor’s wife, Libby Pataki, accused him of not doing enough to help Republican Senate candidate Rick Lazio.
“What the mayor has done in the last couple of weeks has been nothing short of heroic,” said Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari, referring to the mayor’s hectic schedule on behalf of Republicans in the final week of the campaign.
“I know he’s been in pain. He gets tired. He has to go to sleep late in the afternoon,” added Molinari, who was also diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“I saw him [Tuesday]. He was struggling. I’ve never had more respect for this man. We’re both, hopefully, prostate-cancer survivors. I know how hard it would be for me to campaign after seed implantation.”
Giuliani wouldn’t comment about his medical treatment. The mayor is to receive five weeks of external beam radiation to supplement the seeds before the end of the year.