In an interview published by the Italian newspaper ‘Corriere Della Sera’, Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the doctor who has supervised the treatment of the Pope, tells the two occasions in which “Francisco was in danger of death” during the recent hospitalization. He says that when he saw him out of the hospital this Sunday, he somehow was like seeing him “again turned into a potato.”
The most delicate moment took place on Saturday, February 22, when an attack of bronchospasmos survived to the pontiff. He lacked the air and began to ask for help. “We realized that there was a risk of not surviving,” says Alfieri.
In those dramatic moments they had to “choose to stop and let him go or force and try with all possible drugs and therapies, running the very high risk of damaging other organs,” says Alfieri. “Try it everything, don’t give up,” he asked for the “health assistant” of the Pope, Massimiliano Strappetti. The nurse Strappetti is the one who “knows perfectly what the Pope wants” and has the last word in these emergency situations. “No one gave up and in the end we took that path,” summarizes the doctor. Of those moments, Alfieri remembers that Francisco “squeezed my hand for a few minutes like looking for comfort.”
The Vatican press office explained that day that Pope Francis had had a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis, which has required the application of oxygen to high flow. Today’s blood tests also showed platelet, associated with anemia, which required the administration of blood transfusions ». The statement specified that the Pope had “more pain” and that the doctors had established the “reserved prognosis.”
The Pope realized what was happening, “he was fully aware even when he got worse.” «That night was terrible, because he knew, as we could not spend the night. We saw how he suffered ». “For days we risk suffering damage to the kidneys and marrow, but we move on, the organism responded to treatment and lung infection,” he details.
The second crisis
A few days later the second serious episode occurred. While ate, he inhaled vomiting. In these cases, if it is not quickly helped, there is a risk of sudden death or complications in the lungs, which were the most compromised organs. It was terrible, we really thought we would not get it. The medical bulletin of that night summed up the situation: «In the early afternoon, after a morning alternating respiratory physiotherapy with prayer in the chapel, the Holy Father presented an isolated crisis of bronchospasm that, however, resulted in an episode of vomiting with inhalation and a sudden worsening of the respiratory painting. The Holy Father was quickly broken and non -invasive mechanical ventilation began, with a good response in the exchange of gases. The Holy Father remained alert and oriented at all times, cooperating with the therapeutic maneuvers. The prognosis, therefore, remains reserved ».
In the dialogue, the Pope’s doctor trusts that one of the aspects that saved Francisco was that he was aware of what was past. «I can say that twice the situation was lost and then happened as a miracle. Of course, he was a very cooperative patient. He underwent all therapies without complaining, ”he adds. “In the past, when we talked, I asked him how he managed to maintain this rhythm and he replied: ‘I have a method and rule.’ Apart from a very strong heart, it has incredible resources. I think the fact that the entire world pray for him also helped.
He also reveals that when the Pope entered the hospital “he felt pain”, but above all “he felt contrary.” “In a few hours, however, he regained good humor.” “He is physically tired, but has the head of a fifty -year -old person.”
On the new stage, he says that he has asked him to “avoid contact with groups of people or children who can be vehicles of new infections.” «When he left we talked and promised not to waste efforts. But he is the Pope, we cannot dictate what he should do.
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