Pope Francis left the hospital on Sunday, but his recovery will take several months, doctors say
Pope Francis will be released from the hospital for 38 days on Sunday to fight a life-threatening pneumonia case, his doctor said.
Dr. Sergio Alfieri, medical director of Gemelli Hospital in Rome, is undergoing treatment and said Francis will need at least two months of rest and recovery as he continues to recover in the Vatican.
The pope was accepted as Gemelli on February 14 after a bronchitis worsened. Later, he developed life-threatening cases of pneumonia.
The Pope’s doctors made the first face-to-face update on his condition within a month, indicating that he has made good and steady progress in his battle with double pneumonia.
Saturday night’s briefing was the first since February 21, a week after Francis was taken to the hospital. He then experienced several respiratory crises, putting him in a critical state, even though he was stable.
In another development, the Vatican announced that Francis will appear on Sunday morning to bless his followers in the 10-story suite of the hospital. Francis released an audio message on March 6, while Vatican released a photo of him on March 16, but Sunday’s blessing will be the first live appearance since Francis was admitted as it has become his longest hospitalization for his 12-year pope.
Francis, who has chronic lung disease, is prone to respiratory problems in the winter and removed one of his lungs when he was young and was admitted if bronchitis develops.
Doctors first diagnosed complex bacterial, virus and fungal respiratory infections, and soon after, pneumonia in both lungs. Blood tests showed signs of anemia, low platelets and renal failure, and all of them were resolved after two transfusions.
The worst setback began on February 28, when Francis experienced an acute cough and inhaled vomit, asking him to use a non-invasive mechanical ventilation mask to help him breathe. He suffered two more breathing crises over the next few days, which required the doctor to manually inhale mucus, when he began to sleep in a ventilated mask at night to help his lungs clear the accumulation of fluid.
The Pope did not lose consciousness at all, and the doctor reported that he was smart and cooperative.
The Vatican Media Office reported that Francis has stabilized and registered slightly improved over the past two weeks. He no longer needs to wear a ventilation mask at night, nor needs to cut back on replenishing oxygen flow during the day.
