Pope Francis came perilously close to passing away during his extended hospital stay, to the extent that his medical team contemplated discontinuing his pneumonia treatment to allow him a peaceful departure, the leader of his healthcare providers disclosed on Tuesday, March 25.
The 88-year-old pontiff’s most critical moment occurred on Feb. 28 when he almost suffocated on his own vomit following admission for a respiratory emergency, as explained by Sergio Alfieri, a leading doctor at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
“There was a genuine danger he might not survive,” the physician informed Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper.
“We faced a decision about whether to halt efforts there and let him pass, or to press on with every available medication and therapy, risking severe harm to his other organs.”
“Ultimately, we chose this route,” he continued.
The pope was first brought to Gemelli Hospital on February 14 due to bronchitis, which soon escalated into double pneumonia — a serious issue considering he had part of one lung excised in his youth.
The Vatican offered highly detailed daily reports throughout his 38-day struggle.
The physician noted that it was the pope’s personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, who insisted the medical staff persist with treatment after the vomiting incident.
“‘Try everything, we won’t give up’,” he recalled of the nurse’s directive. “That’s what we all felt as well. And no one abandoned the effort.”
“For days, we were jeopardizing his kidneys and bone marrow, but we proceeded — and his body reacted to the medications, and his lung infection diminished,” Alfieri elaborated.
This insider perspective on Pope Francis’ health surfaced as a weakened pope appeared on the hospital balcony to wave to supporters on Sunday, before finally heading back to the Vatican after a five-week hospitalization.
“I watched him exit the room on the 10th floor of the Gemelli clad in white,” Alfieri remarked, describing the pope’s first public sighting in weeks.
“It was the thrill of witnessing the man transform once more into the pope.”
Since his discharge from the hospital, Pope Francis has been instructed to rest for an additional two months to completely recover.
It remained uncertain how frequently he would appear in public in the weeks ahead.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli
