The most eagerly awaited news for weeks has been confirmed by the medical team treating the Holy Father: the pontiff will leave the Gemelli Polyclinic tomorrow, Sunday, March 23, where he has been hospitalized for six weeks.
The favorable evolution of the Holy Father in recent weeks has led to this decision, although Pope Francis will have to continue with oral pharmacological treatment and will have to spend at least two months of convalescence.
Two life-threatening episodes
"The Pope arrived with a acute respiratory failure due to polymicrobial infection which led to severe bilateral pneumonia, requiring combined pharmacological treatment. During his hospitalization, the Holy Father's clinical condition presented two very critical episodes in which his life was in danger. Pharmacological therapies, the administration of high-flow oxygen and non-assisted mechanical ventilation have achieved an improvement in his clinical condition," the doctors emphasized in this long-awaited appearance.
Pope Francis will have to continue with the treatment and the doctors have pointed out the importance of a convalescence period of "at least two months".
Pope Francis will continue to receive medical care at Santa Marta and will have to undergo respiratory physiotherapy as well as motor rehabilitation.
In response to questions from journalists, doctors have stressed that the Pope will have to significantly reduce his schedule. For example, he will not be able to resume work activities with groups of people until after the period of convalescence, nor will he be able to make great efforts.
Voice recovery
One of the challenges the Pope now faces is the work of voice recoveryThe health workers explained that, due to the episodes suffered, his speech was affected, something that was evident in the short audio which the pontiff sent a few days ago in gratitude for the prayers for his health.
Doctors have stressed that it is difficult to say how long it will take for the Pope to regain this normal speech ability, but they expect it to be short.
"It will take time for the voice to return to what it was before," they noted, "compared to ten days ago, we have seen significant improvements, but [voicelessness] is a normal part of recovery and convalescence."
Convalescence period
Among the demands most repeated by the reporters was the development of the Pope's convalescence in Santa Marta. According to the doctors, "the Pope does not need a lot of extraordinary medical equipment. He needs oxygen, especially, like all the patients who have suffered from bilateral pneumonia," said the doctors, who pointed out that the Vatican has a medical emergency service.
However, Francis will continue with motor and respiratory physiotherapy at the Vatican for a long time.
Good humor
Another of the details that were commented on in this appearance was the Pope's "good humor" which, although it appeared in the first communiqués, had not been brought out again in the latest information.
In this regard, Dr. Alfieri, one of the doctors who attended him these days, pointed out that "when he was very sick it was difficult for him to be in a good mood. One morning like every morning when Dr. Carbone and I, along with other colleagues, went to listen to his lungs, after he had had a hard time, and we asked him 'Holy Father, how are you? When he answered 'I am still alive' we realized that he was fine and had recovered his good humor".
