Pope Francis offered reflections on the most serious medical crisis of his papacy on Sunday (Monday NZT), saying in the written text of his regular Angelus prayer that he was “confidently continuing” his extended hospitalisation while acknowledging that “rest is also part of the therapy.”
The pope was admitted to Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital with a respiratory tract infection on February 14. Early last week, the Vatican disclosed the pope had double pneumonia.
On Saturday, it acknowledge the 88-year-old, who had one lung removed in his youth, was in “critical condition.” It added he had suffered a “prolonged asthmatic crisis” and a low platelet count on Saturday. He was alert and sitting in an armchair but suffering more pain than the day before.
Doctors treated his respiratory crisis with more oxygen, and his thrombocytopenia – a deficiency in platelets, which clot the blood – with transfusions.
The Vatican said Sunday that after Saturday’s crisis, the pope had slept well.
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Face of the Day
The Vatican said Sunday that after Saturday’s crisis, the pope had slept well.
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