Pope out of bed, walking after surgery at Rome hospital
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The second morning after undergoing colon surgery, Pope Francis was continuing to recover well and, after a restful night, he had breakfast, read the newspapers and got out of bed to walk, the Vatican press office said July 6.
His post-operative recovery is proceeding normally, the press office said, and his “routine follow-up exams are good.”
The day before the Vatican had explained that Pope Francis’ surgery “for diverticular stenosis performed the evening of July 4 involved a left hemicolectomy and lasted about 3 hours.”
The pope was expected to stay in the hospital for a week after the surgery, barring complications. A left hemicolectomy is the removal of the descending part of the colon and can be recommended to treat diverticulitis, when bulging pouches in the lining of the intestine or colon become inflamed or infected.
The 84-year-old pope was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital in the early afternoon July 4 after leading the midday recitation of the Angelus with visitors gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
As has been his custom, Pope Francis already had suspended his weekly general audience and other meetings for the month of July, except for the Sunday recitation of the Angelus.
Featured image: Pope Francis was hospitalized July 4 for previously scheduled colon surgery, the Vatican press office said. He is pictured at the Vatican June 9, 2021. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
