Pope Francis hospital discharge: News of his discharge comes after the Vatican said this week that the Pope’s condition appeared to be improving, adding that his pneumonia is considered under control.
Pope Francis hospital discharge: Pope Francis will be discharged on Sunday from the hospital where he has spent more than a month being treated for double pneumonia, Sergio Alfieri, the head of the team taking care of the pontiff, announced, CNN reported. “Today we are happy to say that tomorrow he will be at home,” he said, as per CNN.
“The Holy Father will be discharged from tomorrow (Sunday) in stable clinical condition with a prescription to partially continue drug therapy and a convalescence and rest period of at least two months,” Alfieri told reporters at a news conference at Gemelli on Saturday.
Pope Francis plans to make first public appearance in five weeks
Pope Francis has been in hospital since February 14. The pontiff is also expected to make his first public appearance on Sunday at the hospital’s balcony before making his way back to the Casa Santa Marta, his residence since the 2013 conclave, according to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni. The 88-year-old pontiff will offer a blessing and greeting to well-wishers at the end of Sunday’s Angelus prayer, the Vatican press office said earlier on Saturday (March 22). Francis usually leads the prayer and offers a reflection each week, but has not done so for the past five Sundays.
The pope’s hospitalisation has been his longest stay in Gemelli since his election 12 years ago. While he has not been seen in weeks, his presence has been felt with the Vatican releasing a short audio message from the pope as well as a photo last weekend showing him praying at that hospital’s chapel, per CNN.
Last week, the pope approved a new three-year reform process for the Catholic Church, sending a strong signal he intends to remain in the post despite his lengthy stint in hospital. Reforms on the table include how to give greater roles to women in the Catholic Church, including ordaining them as deacons, and the greater inclusion of non-clergy members in governance and decision making.
Here is the timeline of Pope Francis’ longest hospital stay
Pope Francis was hospitalised on February 14, after suffering a bout of bronchitis for weeks and after increasingly finding it hard to speak publicly. Doctors diagnosed a complex infection that developed into double pneumonia.
The 88-year-old pope suffered two life-threatening crises while hospitalised, but by the beginning of the fourth week doctors said he was no longer in critical condition. They continued to emphasise the complexity of the situation, citing his his fraility, the removal of part of a lung as a young man and his lack of mobility. After two weeks of stable condition, they said he was well enough to continue his convalescence at the Vatican.
Here are highlights of longest hospital stay of Francis’ 12-year papacy, based on details provided by the Vatican
February 14
- Pope Francis is hospitalised with bronchitis and a slight fever immediately following a morning of audiences.
- Doctors diagnose a respiratory tract infection.
February 17
- Pope Francis is diagnosed with polymicrobial (bacterial, viral and fungal) infection in the respiratory passages, marking a setback.
February 18
- An X-ray indicates Pope Francis has developed pneumonia in both lungs, marking another setback; cortisone and antibiotic treatments are confirmed.
February 21
- Pope’s doctors say at a news conference that the pope remains in critical condition and isn’t out of danger, but that his condition isn’t imminently life-threatening.
- Doctors say the pope has developed steroid-induced diabetes that is being treated.
- Prognosis is guarded.
February 22
- Pope in critical condition after experiencing a respiratory crisis and requires high-pressure oxygen through nasal tubes, in the first mention of assisted breathing.
- Francis also receives two blood transfusions after tests show signs of anemia and low platelet count that are later resolved.
- Setback.
February 23
- Doctors report that the pope has gone into onset of slight kidney failure, in a setback.
- No repeat of the respiratory crisis, but he remains in critical condition.
February 26
- The mild renal failure has regressed, in an improvement.
February 28
- Pope suffers isolated coughing spasm during which he inhaled vomit, in a setback requiring noninvasive aspiration.
- Responded well.
- Placed on a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask to pump supplemental oxygen into his lungs.
- Prognosis remains guarded.
March 4
- Two acute bronchospasm episodes in a setback requiring bronchoscopies, or a camera-tipped tube with a device to remove mucus plugs, yielding abundant secretions.
- Pope remained alert, oriented and collaborative during maneuvers.
- Prognosis remains guarded.
March 6
- Pope records an audio message that is broadcast to the faithful in St.
- Peter’s Square thanking them for their prayers.
- His voice is weak and he’s out of breath.
March 10
- Doctors declare Francis is no longer in imminent danger of death from pneumonia, but keep him in the hospital for further treatment
March 12
- Chest X-ray confirms improvement in pope’s condition.
March 13
- Pope marks 12th anniversary of papacy from the hospital, where he receives a cake and hundreds of messages and drawings with good wishes.
- No medical update.
March 14
- Pope marks one month in the hospital.
- Vatican announces it will cease issuing morning updates about the pope’s rest overnight and will issue fewer medical bulletins in a sign of the continuing improvements in the pope’s medical condition.
March 16
- The Vatican released the first photograph of Pope Francis during his hospitalization.
- The photo shows the pope seated from behind in front of the altar in the private chapel in the papal apartment at Gemelli hospital.
- No breathing tube is visible.
March 22
- Doctors announced that the pope will be dismissed from the hospital the next day, and that he will have a period of conavelesce of at least two months during which he is discouraged from meeting with large groups.
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