Gravely ill, Elizabeth Edwards stops cancer treatments

Elizabeth Edwards, the embattled wife of former Sen. John Edwards, has posted what many are interpreting as a goodbye message to her Facebook page. The 61-year-old Edwards -- who separated from her husband in the wake of revelations of his infidelity -- has been battling breast cancer since 2004. It's been reported recently that the cancer had spread to her liver.

According to a statement sent out today by the Edwards family, her doctors have advised that "further treatment of her cancer would be unproductive." A source close to the Edwards family told CBS bluntly, "she is dying" and would probably pass in the coming weeks, if not days.

Writing on her Facebook page that "the days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered," Edwards expressed gratitude for the love and support she's received during her years in the public eye.

"You all know that I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces -- my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of resilience and hope," she wrote. "These graces have carried me through difficult times and they have brought more joy to the good times than I ever could have imagined... It isn't possible to put into words the love and gratitude I feel to everyone who has and continues to support and inspire me every day. To you I simply say: you know."

NBC's Jeff Rossen reports that Edwards is "comfortable" at home in North Carolina surrounded by friends and family, including her estranged husband.

(Photo: AP/Mary Ann Chastain)