Pope Francis showed up his first, brief, brief appearance in more than six weeks on Sunday, on the balcony of a Roman hospital, calling hundreds of people to gather in the square in front.
“I saw a woman with yellow flowers,” said Francis, who was sitting on a second-floor balcony in a wheelchair. “E’Brava,” he praised the woman. Then he sat with his hands waving and waving, people cheered and waved the flags.
The pope’s voice was weak and raspy, which was OK for a patient who suffered severe damage to the lungs and respiratory muscles, as his doctor explained in a press conference on Saturday.
People started to cheer and rhythmically applaud: “Francesco.”
“Long live the Pope,” some people called for more cheers. After a moment, the Pope was taken back to the hospital.
Just a few weeks ago, pneumonia in the church and in the pneumonia that Francis suffered in his lungs and other respiratory infections may not be recovered. His doctor spoke at a press conference at the Policlinico A. Gemelli Hospital on Saturday night saying the Pope’s pneumonia was so severe that it put his life in serious danger twice.
But the Pope received medication and oxygen, resulting in a “slow and gradual improvement” that allowed him to overcome the most critical events.
For the past six weeks, Francis has not given him the traditional Sunday Angelus blessings that usually overlook St. Peter’s Square from the Apostle Palace.
Francis is expected to return to Casa Santa Marta, the hotel in the Vatican where he lives, for another two months to recover. Doctors said Saturday that Francis should avoid unnecessary efforts and meet with large groups and people with small children to minimize contact with potential sources of infection.
Dr. Luigi Carbone, a Vatican-based doctor in Francis, said the pope’s residence was enough to cope with his medical needs and provide him with emergency services 24/7.
Francis entered the hospital on February 18 with acute respiratory deficiency due to viral and bacterial infections. His doctor said Saturday that the pope never intubated and was vigilant and conscious throughout his hospital stay.
Francis has been in a critical state for weeks after an asthma breathing crisis. Initially, mild renal failure; and bronchospasm, causing him to inhale vomit after coughing. He uses non-invasive mechanical ventilation at night and high-flow oxygen therapy during the day.
Doctors insisted that Francis had a tough schedule before he got sick and needed to be relaxed for at least two months.
“Rehabilitation is by definition a stage of recovery, so it’s clear that during the recovery period he will not be able to meet people as usual,” Dr. Carbone said.
