End request, but keep going (Apache)

livelong.php

<?php

_liveLongStart();

echo "Processing the hell outta everything....\n";
echo "\n";
echo "We'll email you as soon as this is done.\n";

_liveLongEnd();

// Do lots of slow stuff here
$time = microtime(1) - $GLOBALS['_liveLongStart'];
mail(
	'[email protected]',
	'Slow stuff is done',
	"We're done! That took a while! " . number_format($time, 4) . " sec to be precise.",
	"From: [email protected]"
);


function _liveLongStart() {
	$GLOBALS['_liveLongStart'] = microtime();

	// Start buffering, first thing
	ob_start();
}

function _liveLongEnd() {
	// Catch output and start writing
	$size = ob_get_length();
	header("Content-Encoding: none");
	header("Content-Length: $size");
	header('Connection: close');

	// Print output here
	ob_end_flush();
	ob_flush();
	flush();
}