Feb. 26, 2:30 p.m. EST: CT scan ‘showed a normal progression of the lung inflammation’
The clinical condition of Pope Francis “has shown a slight further improvement over the past 24 hours,” according to the medical report from his doctors released by the Vatican on the evening of Feb. 26. But, the report said, “his prognosis remains guarded,” meaning he is not yet out of danger.
The Vatican also reported that the chest CT scan carried out Tuesday evening “showed a normal progression of the lung inflammation.” It said that “the mild kidney insufficiency observed in recent days has subsided,” and today’s blood tests “confirmed the improvement seen yesterday.”
Pope Francis “remains on high-flow oxygen therapy but has not experienced any asthma-like respiratory episodes today,” the medical report said, and he continues with “respiratory physiotherapy.”
The medical report concluded that “although there is a slight improvement, the prognosis remains guarded.”
Dr. Anna Lisa Bilotta, who works in the Salvator Mundi International Hospital in Rome and is not treating the pope, told America that the medical bulletin says the result of yesterday’s CT scan shows “a normal evolution of the pulmonary inflammatory picture.” But, she remarked, “That could mean everything or nothing; it does not say if it’s improving or not. It does not tell us exactly what the situation is.”
Dr. Bilotta concluded that the medical update reports a “slight improvement” because of the positive results of the blood tests and the fact that “the slight kidney insufficiency is no longer present.” But she noted that the doctors still issue “a guarded prognosis.” This means that he is not yet out of danger, as the therapy takes time.
The Vatican added that Pope Francis received the Eucharist and in the afternoon “was dedicated to work activities.”
Feb. 26, 11:15 a.m. EST: Pope Francis will not receive visitors at the hospital today
Pope Francis “had a quiet night and is resting,” the Holy See Press Office informed journalists just after 8 a.m., Wednesday morning, Feb. 26, after his 12th night at the Gemelli Hospital where he is being treated for pneumonia in both lungs.
An informed Vatican source reported that the 88-year-old pope “sat in his armchair, where he continued his therapy,” and continues to take oxygen through a nasal cannula whenever necessary. He will not receive any visitors today, the source said.
His doctors carried out a scheduled CT scan on the pope on Tuesday “to radiologically monitor the bilateral pneumonia.” It was the third such scan since he was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14. The Vatican said it expects the results of that scan to be included in this evening’s medical report from the hospital.
Yesterday’s medical report said the pope’s “clinical condition remains critical but stable. There have been no acute respiratory episodes, and hemodynamic parameters continue to be stable.” In other words, his condition is stable, but he is not yet out of danger, and his doctors remain guarded about his prognosis.
[Update: Pope Francis’ doctors do not note any improvement in daily medical report]
Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the surgeon who has operated on the pope twice before and is the leader of the medical team of some eight specialists who are caring for the pope, explained last week that “it takes little to cause a setback” in Francis’ condition given the infections he has and the heavy load of medication he is being given, which may have to be adjusted from time to time and also require some time to take effect. Age is also a complicating factor, he said, while adding that the pope has the mind of a much younger man.
Pope Francis, now in his 13th day in the hospital, continues governing the church, assisted by his two priest private secretaries. He reads texts, signs documents and decides on the appointment of new bishops for dioceses in various parts of the world and other Vatican appointments.
Yesterday, for example, he appointed two new secretary generals for the Vatican City State: the Italian Archbishop Emilio Nappa, who had been working in the Dicastery for Evangelization, and Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, an Italian lawyer who served as the deputy secretary general in the Vatican City State. With these appointments, he also gave Sister Raffaella Petrini, who will become the first woman to serve as the governor of the City State on March 1, extensive authority over the two new secretary generals.
On Monday, the pope also received the two most senior officials from the Secretariat of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, and in further acts of governance, approved decrees for various causes of the saints, including canonizations.
Commenting on this, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of the Saints, told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera that he had agreed in advance with the pope that he would send the decrees with the cardinal and archbishop for Francis’ approval. He revealed that at the gathering for the recitation of the rosary for the recovery of the pope in St. Peter’s Square last Monday evening, he was sitting next to Archbishop Peña Parra who told him, “I have here the decrees, with the signature of the Holy Father and the date, Feb. 24.”
Cardinal Semeraro said he has always been impressed by the pope’s “inner strength, which is fundamental for managing situations like this and never becoming depressed. It’s not just the psychological energy that you see in many people; it’s something different, something more profound.”
“It is a spiritual, inner strength. This is what he meant with his famous phrase: ‘One governs with the head, not with the legs.’ Mental lucidity, certainly, but in this case it’s something else. The fact is that Francis nourishes his days with long periods of prayer and reflection. It’s like filling up the tank with gasoline before a long journey. He wakes up every morning at dawn and dedicates himself to at least two hours of prayer. Every day! That’s his habit.”
He recalled that when the pope used to celebrate Mass in Santa Marta every morning, he would give “beautiful and deep homilies” without a script, the fruit of his morning’s prayer.
The Italian cardinal added, “There are some aspects of his magisterium, such as the church that goes forth and the attention to the peripheries, of which he has always spoken but which I recognized as central only by thinking about it, in retrospect. But his energy, yes, is the first thing I noticed as soon as I met him.”
He remarked: “When they told me that he had signed the decrees, I said to myself: So now at least someone will be convinced that he is not dying. It is a sign of hope. Of course, there are difficulties. They come from health conditions, from age. Jokingly, I would say that all this [hospitalization] will perhaps serve as a lesson for him, to calm down a little and look after himself in the future!”
Last Monday, the Vatican decided to host a rosary every evening in St. Peter’s Square for the health and recovery of Pope Francis. Cardinal Parolin led the prayer on Monday, and the Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle led the prayer yesterday, asking Our Lady to intercede with her son, Jesus, for his full recovery.
