Hospitalised Pope Francis Is In Good Spirit-Italian PM Confirmed
LAGOS FEBRUARY 20TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Francis also received another get-well wish from US Vice-President JD Vance, whom the pope recently targeted in criticising the Trump administration’s plans for mass deportations of migrants.
“Let’s all say a prayer for Pope Francis, who appears to have some serious health issues,” Vance, a Catholic, posted on X from his private account.
Pope Francis Admitted To Hospital
Francis was admitted to the Gemelli hospital on Friday after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened. On Monday, medical personnel determined that he was suffering from a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection, meaning a mix of viruses, bacteria and possibly other organisms had colonised in his respiratory tract. Late on Tuesday, the Vatican said a chest CT scan showed the onset of bilateral pneumonia on top of asthmatic bronchitis, which is being treated with cortisone and antibiotics.
“I think the key will be how well and quickly he responds to treatment,” said Dr Andrew Chadwick, a respiratory and intensive care specialist at Oxford University Hospitals.
Bronchitis can lead to pneumonia, which is a deeper and far more serious infection of the lungs’ air sacs. Pneumonia can develop in part or all of one lung or in both lungs. It tends to be more serious when both lungs are affected because there isn’t healthy tissue to compensate.
Treatment varies by severity but can include providing oxygen through a nasal tube or mask, intravenous fluids — and treatment of the underlying cause of the infection. To date, Francis is breathing on his own and his heart function is said to be good. He has eaten breakfast every day, gotten out of bed, read the newspapers and done some work from his hospital room.
The Vatican hasn’t provided any information about how Francis is responding to any of the drugs he has been given other than to say he isn’t running a fever. The Argentine pope, who has previously admitted to being a non-compliant patient, has a number of conditions that make him particularly at risk for complications: Aside from his age, he is not physically active and uses a wheelchair, limiting his ability to clear the fluids building up in his lungs.
Dr Meredith McCormack, director of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins University, said doctors will be looking to see if Francis responds to the therapy, which can include physiotherapy to help clear the lungs. Severe cases of pneumonia are typically treated for about one to two weeks, but recovery in an older person could extend beyond that.
“Lack of worsening would be an encouraging sign,” said McCormack, who is not involved in Francis’ care.
The Vatican has given no indication of how long the pope might remain hospitalised, only saying that the treatment of such a “complex clinical picture” would require an “adequate” stay.
Despite the less-than-positive news about Francis’ condition, Francis was receiving get-well drawings and cards from children being treated in the hospital’s oncology ward. And at the Vatican on Wednesday, Holy Year pilgrimages continued, with groups of faithful walking through the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica on a chilly and cloudy day.
“We are very happy to be here but we are also sad for the pope’s sickness,” said Amparo Alcala’, who was leading a large group of pilgrims from Valencia, Spain. “He is doing great things, most of all for the women in the church, and this gives us a lot of joy. We are praying for his recovery and that he might come back, if this is God’s will.”
The Free Press Journal
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Posted by News Rangers
on Feb 20 2025. Filed under International, National.
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