Vatican City, February 27 (ANI): Pope Francis continued to show signs of improvement, with his kidney issues subsiding, Vatican News reported.
A recent CT scan confirmed a normal progression of his lung inflammation, and his blood tests returned good results. In the afternoon, he resumed his work. However, his prognosis remains guarded, Vatican News reported on late Wednesday night.
On Wednesday evening, the Holy See Press Office provided the following update on Pope Francis’ health.
“The Holy Father’s condition has shown a slight further improvement over the past 24 hours. The mild kidney insufficiency observed in recent days has subsided. A chest CT scan carried out last night showed a normal progression of the lung inflammation. Blood tests conducted today confirmed the improvement seen yesterday,” the statement read.
“The Holy Father remains on high-flow oxygen therapy but has not experienced any asthma-like respiratory episodes today. Respiratory physiotherapy is continuing. Despite the slight improvement, his prognosis remains guarded. This morning, the Holy Father received the Eucharist, and in the afternoon, he resumed his work,” as per the statement.
People in Rome and the Vatican are relying on their faith as they cope with the daily anxiety waiting to hear about the pope’s health. Francis’ condition is frequently described by the Vatican as “complex” and the prognosis as “reserved,” meaning that it’s too soon to tell. And while there have been some signs of “slight improvement,” his condition – until Tuesday at least – is still being described as “critical,” CNN reported.
This is Francis’ fourth, and now longest, hospital stay since he became pope in 2013. Everyone in the church’s central administration remains on high alert, waiting for news – day and night – of the ailing pontiff, CNN reported.
Reporters and Vatican officials nervously refresh their inboxes, awaiting the twice-daily health updates. The first – a quick, succinct update sent early in the morning – outlines how the pope’s night went. Sometimes, it provides details on whether he had breakfast. Then, in the evening, a more detailed medical statement is released, as per CNN.
Yet the longer the Pope is hospitalised, the more speculation grows about a possible papal resignation. Pope Francis wrote a letter in 2013 making provisions should he become incapacitated, a similar move to one taken by many of his recent predecessors, and some wonder whether he will continue as pope if the long-term prognosis means he might be impeded from governing the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis, a master of surprise, is unlikely to have told anyone his plans. And so the world continues to wait, with a term being used in Rome about these intense days succinctly summing up the feeling of so many: “montagne russe” – a rollercoaster, CNN reported. (ANI)
