Pope Francis has made a remarkable recovery after surviving a life-threatening bout with double pneumonia, according to his doctor. Dr. Sergio Alfieri visited the 88-year-old pontiff at his apartment in the Vatican on Wednesday and reported that he is showing “a truly surprising improvement.”
Alfieri described Francis as “very lively” and noted that while he still has some mobility issues due to an unspecified trauma he sustained before being hospitalized, he believes the pope will return to around 90% of his previous health. The doctor also confirmed that Francis’s voice is regaining strength, with a decrease in reliance on supplemental oxygen.
Francis was initially hospitalized on February 14 after developing bronchitis and quickly turning into double pneumonia, which revealed a polymicrobial respiratory infection. Despite the complexity of his condition, given his age and lack of mobility, doctors expressed concerns about his survival chances.
However, Francis demonstrated remarkable resilience and gave his consent to treatment that could have put his organs at risk. The “decisive” treatment, as described by Alfieri, has helped him beat the double pneumonia but will take months to resolve the fungal infection.
Francis is now receiving physical, respiratory, and speech therapy, with doctors ordering him to rest for at least two months and avoid crowds. Despite his improvement, Dr. Alfieri warned that if Francis recovers too quickly, he will have to slow down, given his strong work ethic.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-alfieri-7fa0d692e3ba1a94ca936101a28dbe26