King Hussein Gets Transplant
King Hussein of Jordan, being treated in the United States after a cancer relapse, completed a bone marrow transplant Tuesday, Jordan's ambassador to Washington Marwan Muasher said.
Muasher, speaking from the Mayo Clinic where the king returned for urgent treatment last week, said the 63-year-old monarch was "holding up very well" but would be closely monitored for the next two weeks.
"He will be under close monitoring in case of complications either from the bone marrow or from the chemotherapy," Muasher said.
The king was rushed back to the Mayo Clinic last week -- just a month after being discharged from six months treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Doctors said he had suffered a relapse and prescribed another bout of chemotherapy followed by the bone marrow transplant.
During his brief return to Jordan, the King, who is the longest serving head of state in the world, replaced his politically seasoned brother Prince Hassan as heir to the throne with his 36-year-old son, Prince Abdullah.
A career soldier, Abdullah is relatively untested in the art of political rule. However, U.S. officials have said they expect continuity in Jordan's leadership.
The end to King Hussein's reign would be seen by many in the region as the end of an era. Hussein, 63, has ruled Jordan since he was 17 years old. During his rule, he forged a peace treaty with Israel and succeeded in stabilizing a British-mandated regime that many predicted would fall apart like other regional monarchies.
However, it remained to be seen whether the king would fully recover from his fourth bout with cancer.
"He is holding up very well so far. All the readings are very good," Muasher said. "The chemotherapy has of course contained all the cancer itself but the remission will depend on the bone marrow working. That is too soon to say at this stage."
"We have to cross this two-week period. Every day that passes is a plus for him, increases his chances," he added.
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