Pope Francis was released from the hospital on March 23 after surviving a life-threatening case of pneumonia.
Francis, 88, first appeared on Sunday in five weeks to celebrate the crowd of hundreds of people who gathered to meet him, appearing on the balcony of Gemeri Hospital in Rome. Many people chanted, “Viva Il Papa!” And then he looks down at “Papa Francesco.” The Pope is then released to the Vatican, where he experiences two months of rehabilitation, rest and recovery.
Francis was admitted to the hospital on February 14th after a case of bronchitis progressed. He was diagnosed with a complex bacterial, viral, and fungal respiratory infection, and soon developed pneumonia in both lungs. The Argentine Pope had removed part of one lung when he was young and suffered from chronic lung disease.
His 38 days at Gemeri were Francis’ longest hospital stay as a pontiff for 12 years, the second longest in recent Pope history. The uncertainty of the Pope’s status raised questions about the potential Pope’s resignation or funeral.
The Pope’s doctor said he should avoid exercising himself or meeting with a large group of people, but he will ultimately be allowed to continue his normal activities.
Francis’ private doctor, Dr. Luigi Carbon, said he hopes the Pope will need to breathe less and less supplemental oxygen as his lungs recover from the infection.
With pneumonia successfully treated, Francis continues to take oral medication for a while to treat pulmonary fungal infections, continuing his respiratory and physical physical therapy.
“For three or four days he asked when he could go home, so I’m very happy,” Carbone said.
The Pope’s doctor first diagnosed a complex bacterial, viral, and fungal respiratory infection shortly after being admitted to the hospital on February 14th. His blood tests also showed signs of anemia, low platelets, and onset of renal failure. All three were resolved following two transfusions.
However, Francis faced a set-off when he suffered from inhaled vomit on February 28th with an acute cough. He had to use a non-invasive mechanical ventilation mask to assist with breathing.
The Pope experienced two additional respiratory crisis days later, and doctors requested that “abundance” levels of mucus be manually aspirated from each lung. At that point, Francis began to sleep wearing a ventilation mask and removed excessive fluid in his lungs.
Despite the complications, the Pope did not need intubation, did not lose consciousness, and he remained vigilant and cooperative, his doctors reported. However, he lost his appetite and lost a small amount of weight.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
