Since arriving back to the Vatican on March 23, following his 38-day hospital stay, Pope Francis has kept to a daily regimen of various therapies as part of his two-month convalescence.
VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Almost two weeks into his Vatican convalescence, Pope Francis continues to gradually improve, though no public events are yet on his schedule.
In an update provided by the Holy See Press Office Friday, the Vatican attested to a continued improvement in the Pope’s clinical condition.
His pulmonary infection still remains though is “improving,” the Vatican said. Francis’ condition has also shown improvements “from a respiratory and motor point of view and in the use of his voice.”
As expected, Francis continues with his prescribed therapies, including motor, respiratory, and pharmacological therapies.
His use of oxygen continue also, though the Vatican described it as being “slightly reduced” once again.
According to the press office, Francis is continuing with “work” items on his schedule, though no “special visitors” have been admitted. There was no information on what sort of regular access those of his close inner circle currently have.
The Pope has also followed the livestream of certain events this week, just as he did with the Roman Curia’s spiritual exercises from the Gemelli hospital.
While much anticipation remains about his participation in the Holy Week liturgies the Vatican warned that it is still too early to speculate on the topic.
However, the press office left open a possibility of something different for this Sunday’s Angelus address, though details will not emerge until Saturday morning. Since his February 14 hospital admission, the Sunday Angelus addresses have simply been published online, rather than read in-person by the Pope.
Since March 23, the Pope has been recovering at the Casa Santa Martha guesthouse which is his home in the Vatican City State. Announcing his surprise hospital discharge just the day before, his doctors urged that the convalescence would last at least two months.
Appearing at the hospital balcony on March 23, Francis appeared to be in great difficulty breathing, after he went for around three minutes without using oxygen. Now, just under two weeks later, it is not precisely known what his reliance upon oxygen is.
Doctors stated during a March 22 press conference that Francis nearly lost his life twice during his time in the hospital, confirming reports which had circulated about the Pope’s deteriorating condition. Indeed, Dr. Sergio Alfieri, who leads the Pope’s medical team, said that when Francis was hospitalized February 14 he “presented [with] an acute respiratory failure,” which led to “severe” double pneumonia.
Alfieri subsequently revealed that they nearly stopped treatment to allow the Pope to die, following one of his major respiratory crises in the hospital.
Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin also revealed that during Francis’ hospitalization, when he was described as “working,” he was only able to sign documents with the initial “F,” though now he signs his full name.
Details about the Pope’s continued convalescence will be issued twice a week via the Holy See Press Office.
