Pope Francis has greeted the faithful from his hospital window in Rome, offering blessings as he recovers from a bout of double pneumonia.
On Sunday morning, he made an appearance from his 10th-floor suite at the hospital to bless the gathered crowd. This marked the first live sighting of Francis since his admission, which has turned into his longest hospital stay during his 12-year papacy, reports the Mirror.
Although not seen in person until now, the pope did share an audio message on March 6 and the Vatican released a photo of him on March 16.
Looking somewhat frail, the pontiff reached for a microphone and expressed his gratitude to the onlookers: "Thank you, thank you - I see this lady with yellow flowers, very good, thank you."
The pope is also set to leave the hospital on Sunday after a 38-day fight against a serious case of pneumonia affecting both lungs, which twice put his life in jeopardy and sparked discussions-now quelled-about a potential papal resignation or funeral.
The 88-year-old leader will need a significant period of rest, rehabilitation and recovery at the Vatican, expected to last at least two months, during which he's been advised to avoid large gatherings and strenuous activities, according to Dr Sergio Alfieri, who led Francis' medical team at Rome's Gemelli hospital.
However, Francis' personal physician, Dr Luigi Carbone, has indicated that if the pope maintains his steady progress and rehabilitation, he should be able to return to all his usual duties eventually.
At a press conference Saturday evening inside the Gemelli hospital atrium, doctors provided their first face-to-face update on the Pope's health in a month. They indicated they were ready to discharge Pope Francis after observing two weeks of stability and continued improvement in his condition.
"The Holy Father would have wanted to go home a few days ago, as even he realised he was improving, breathing better, and that he could work longer. But I have to say he was an exemplary patient," said Dr Alfieri, praising Francis' cooperation with him, Dr Carbone, and the rest of the medical team.
After a final blessing offered to the faithful from his hospital suite marking his first public appearance since being admitted on February 14 the doctors announced his discharge for today. They shed light on the severity of his infection, for which he continues to receive treatment.
Despite surviving a serious case of double pneumonia, Dr Alfieri highlighted that not every patient fares so well.
Reflecting on the pope's challenging moments, Dr Alfieri shared: "When he was in really bad shape, it was difficult that he was in good spirits," but a particular interaction gave them hope. "But one morning we went to listen to his lungs and we asked him how he was doing. When he replied, 'I'm still alive', we knew he was OK and had gotten his good humour back."
Alfieri has revealed that Pope Francis is currently struggling with speech difficulties due to damage to his lungs and the prolonged period he was on oxygen support and ventilation. However, such issues are not uncommon, and he anticipates a recovery in the pontiff's voice.
Dr Alfieri explained: "When you have a bilateral pneumonia, your lungs get damaged and the respiratory muscles are in difficulty. You lose your voice a bit, like when you speak too high." He went on to say: "As for all patients, young or old but especially older ones, you need time for it to come back as it was."
The Argentine pope, who suffers from chronic lung disease and underwent the removal of part of one lung in his youth, was hospitalised at Gemelli following an exacerbation of bronchitis symptoms.
Initial assessments by doctors pointed to a complicated infection encompassing bacterial, viral, and fungal elements in his respiratory system, which was followed by a diagnosis of pneumonia in both lungs. Tests also indicated anemia, low platelet count, and beginning stages of renal failure, all issues that were later resolved using two blood transfusions.
Francis faced potentially life-threatening complications starting on February 28 when he had a severe coughing fit that caused him to inhale vomit, leading to the necessity of a noninvasive ventilation mask to aid his breathing. He then endured two additional respiratory crises shortly afterwards, necessitating manual removal of substantial mucus build-up by the medical team.
Consequently, he began to use the ventilation mask at night, assisting his lungs in eliminating fluid build-up.
The patient remained conscious throughout the ordeal, with doctors noting his consistent alertness and cooperation. Over the last fortnight, he has shown signs of stabilisation and slight recovery.
He's now able to forego the night-time ventilation mask and is reducing his daytime dependence on high-flow supplemental oxygen. The medical team observed that the pope, who is wheelchair-bound, may have shed some weight during his time in the hospital.
Back at his residence in the Santa Marta hotel adjacent to St Peter's Basilica, Francis will have access to supplemental oxygen and round-the-clock medical care if necessary, though Dr Carbone expressed optimism that the pontiff would gradually require less supplemental oxygen.
"The Holy Father is improving, and we hope soon he can resume his normal activity," stated Dr Carbone. Although the pneumonia infection has been effectively treated, Francis will continue on oral medication for several months to combat the fungal infection in his lungs.
Dr Alfieri suggested that it's actually safer for him to pursue his convalescence and rehabilitation at the Vatican, pointing out that hospitals "are the worst place to convalesce because it's the place where you can catch the most infections".
Matteo Bruni, the Vatican spokesman, refrained from confirming any future events, including a planned audience with King Charles III on April 8 or Francis' involvement in Easter services at the end of the month. However, Dr Carbone expressed hope that Francis might recover sufficiently to travel to Turkey at the end of May for a significant ecumenical anniversary.
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