Vatican City (AP) — The frail Pope Francis returned to the Vatican on Sunday after five weeks of hospitalization due to life-threatening double pneumonia.
The 88-year-old Pope sat in the passenger seat of his white Fiat 500L nostrils 500L, wearing a nasal tube and giving supplemental oxygen when his return brought relief after fear that his illness could be fatal or lead to the resignation of another pope.
Francis’ motorcade at Gemeri Hospital first overshoots the Vatican, detouring across the town, stopping at Major St. Mary’s Cathedral, with the Pope’s favorite icon of Madonna, who always goes to pray after a foreign visit.
He did not get out of the car, but gave the cathedral cardinal a bouquet of flowers to be placed in front of the icon of Sarus Potpuri Romani. The Byzantine-style paintings of trees are respected by the Romans and are so important to Francis he chose to be buried in the cathedral to be near them.
The tour through the Roman history center comes after Francis first appeared in five weeks and gave him a thumbs and a short blessing from the hospital balcony. Hundreds of people gathered on a shining spring morning Sunday to get the first glimpse of Francis, who seemed to be breathing through the air, saying goodbye.
“I see this woman holding yellow flowers. Brava!” Francis said in a breathtaking voice, bloated. He gave him a weak sign of a cross before making any movement inside.
The chant of “Viva Il Papa!” and “Papa Francesco” erupted from the crowd. It included a patient who had moved outside just to catch his brief appearance.
Rest at home
Doctors say Francis needs two months of rest and recovery at the Vatican. Meanwhile, he must refrain from meeting many people or exercise himself. But they said he should be able to finally resume all his activities.
His return has brought concrete relief to the Vatican and Catholic faithful who are worried about the 38-day medical ups and downs after his 12 years of hospitalization and the second-longest hospitalization in recent Pope history, and who are wondering whether Francis would make it.
“I feel great joy today,” said Dr. Rosserra Rasmando, who was in Gemeri on Sunday and did not treat Francis. “It is a demonstration that all our prayers, all our rosary prayers from around the world, have brought this grace.”
Pastor Enzo Fornato, who heads the Pope Commission dedicated to children, said that Francis is pleased to return home and clearly will improve, especially after receiving so many boring cards from children around the world.
“If the first drug was a child’s affection, the second drug will definitely be at home (going),” Fortunato said. “It certainly will speed up his recovery.”
The Pope is to receive 24 hours a day care
At the Vatican, where the Holy Year is ongoing, pilgrims cheered and praised Francis as Francis’ greetings were broadcast live on a huge television screen in St. Peter’s Square.
“For me, seeing him was an important emotional experience, because many people were waiting for this moment,” said Sister Louisa Zimenez, an Argentine nun from Frances.
Another nun of the same order, Angel Vernal Amparo, a sister of Columbia, expressed concern given his bloating and the inability to speak much.
“He didn’t look very well,” she said. “He couldn’t speak, and I realized it was for his breathing, and well, he left there immediately. But I was happy to see him.”
At Domus Santa Marta, a Vatican hotel, there were no special arrangements for living in a two-room suite on the second floor next to the cathedral. His private doctor, Dr. Luigi Carbon, hoped that as his lungs recovered, Francis would gradually need less aid, but he would receive supplemental oxygen and 24 hours of medical care if necessary.
Two life-threatening crisis
The Argentine Pope, who suffers from chronic lung disease and who removed part of one of his lungs as a young man, was hospitalized at Gemeri on February 14 after his bronchitis match worsened.
The doctor first diagnosed a complex bacterial, viral, and fungal respiratory infection, and then immediately diagnosed pneumonia in both lungs. Blood tests showed signs of anemia, hypoplatelets and development of renal failure, and everything resolved after two subsequent transfusions.
The most serious retreat began on February 28th, when Francis experienced an acute cough and inhaled vomiting, which helped him breathe using a non-invasive mechanical ventilation mask. He was suffering from two more respiratory crises a few days later, and doctors had to manually inhale a “rich” amount of mucus from his lungs.
He was never intubated and never lost consciousness. The doctor says he probably lost a bit of weight given that he had lost his appetite all the time, but he reported that he remained vigilant and cooperation at all times.
“Unfortunately, there was a moment when many people said he might not make it, and that was painful for us,” said Mario Balsamo, owner of Gemeri’s former coffee shop. “Instead, I’m very pleased that he’s fine today and I hope he’ll recover soon and recover his strength.”
“I’m still alive!”
Sergio Alfieri, Gemeri’s head of medical and surgery, who coordinated Francis’ medical team, stressed that not all patients who develop such severe cases of dual pneumonia are surviving and will be far less likely to be released from hospitals. He said Francis’ life had been at risk twice between two acute respiratory crises, and the Pope of the time, naturally, lost his typical sense of humor.
“But one morning we listened to his lungs and asked him how he was doing. When he replied, ‘I’m still alive,’ we knew he was okay and regained his good humor,” he told a news conference late Saturday.
Alfieri confirmed that Francis struggles to speak due to damage to his lungs and respiratory muscles. However, he said such problems were normal, especially in older patients, and predicted that his voice would eventually return. Francis also continues to take medication to treat milder respiratory infections.
There are no confirmed appointments so far
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni declined to confirm upcoming events, including a scheduled audience with King Charles III on April 8th and Francis’ participation in the Easter service at the end of the month. However, Carbone said he hopes Francis will take part in the important ecumenical anniversary, enough to travel to Turkey at the end of May.
When only St. John Paul II recorded a long hospitalization in 1981, he spent 55 days at Gemeli for mild surgery and treatment of infections.
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Associated Press writers Silvia Stellacci and Giada Zampano of Rome and Colleen Barry of Soave of Italy contributed.
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Associated Press’ Religious Reporting will be supported through collaboration with the Associated Press and Conversation, along with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is responsible for this content only.
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