Pope's doctor reports Francis only just survived twice
The Pope suffered severe respiratory crises during his stay in hospital - and was on the verge of death, according to a doctor treating him. It was not only medical art that helped.
25.03.2025, 18:46
dpa
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- Three and a half weeks ago, the Pope was in imminent danger of death, according to his doctor.
- The doctors had even briefly considered discontinuing the 88-year-old's treatment.
- The doctor treating him, Alfieri, said he believed that prayers for the Pope had also helped to keep him alive.
According to his doctor, Pope Francis was in imminent danger of death during an attack of respiratory distress three and a half weeks ago. After his attack of bronchospasm - a spasm of the muscles of the respiratory tract - on February 28, both the pontiff and his closest confidants realized that he "might not survive the night", said the attending physician Sergio Alfieri in an interview with the newspaper "Corriere della Sera", which was published on Tuesday. The doctors had even briefly considered discontinuing the 88-year-old's treatment.
During the severe relapse, vomited stomach contents had entered the Pope's airways. "We had to decide whether to stop and let him go, or whether to push and try all kinds of drugs and treatments, accepting the very high risk of damaging other organs," added Alfieri. In the end, they opted for the aggressive treatment.
The doctor said that the Pope remained awake during the respiratory crisis on February 28. His personal nurse Massimiliano Strappetti, "who knows the Pope's wishes very well", had urged them to try everything and not to give up. There was a risk of damage to his kidneys and bone marrow. "But we kept going, his body responded to the treatments and the lung infection got better," said Alfieri. The doctors had given the Pope non-invasive ventilation to clear his airways.
Three days later, however, he suffered another relapse in which he hovered between life and death. Pope suffered two acute bronchial spasms. With the help of an imaging tube and a special device, the doctors suctioned mucus from one lung.
Alfieri said he believed that prayers for the Pope had also kept him alive. The fact that such intercession helps is covered by scientific literature, he said. "In this case, the whole world prayed. I can say that the situation was lost twice, and then it miraculously happened," said Alfieri. In addition, the Pope was "naturally a very cooperative patient".
Francis was discharged on Sunday after 38 days in Gemelli Hospital in Rome. The 88-year-old had been hospitalized for bilateral pneumonia. On the instructions of his doctors, he must take it easy for two months and avoid large gatherings. When the pontiff showed himself to hundreds of faithful from a balcony of the clinic shortly before his release, he appeared weak and frail.
