Pope Francis faced such a grave struggle against pneumonia that his medical team considered ceasing treatment to let him pass away with dignity, as per Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the head of the pope’s medical team at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
On February 28, the pope encountered a severe breathing crisis, almost choking on his own vomit. “There was a genuine chance he might not survive,” Dr. Alfieri remarked in an interview with Italy’s Corriere della Sera, published on March 25.
“We had to decide: either to discontinue treatment and let him go, or to continue with all possible medications and therapies, despite the significant risk of harming his other organs,” Alfieri described. In the end, the team opted for aggressive treatment.
At 88 years of age, Pope Francis has recently returned to the Vatican after the most critical health challenge of his 12-year papacy. Initially, he was admitted to Gemelli hospital on February 14 due to bronchitis, which subsequently escalated into double pneumonia—an alarming predicament considering his medical background that includes pleurisy and the removal of a section of one lung in his younger years.
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During his hospital stay, the Vatican shared unprecedented insights about the pope’s health, reporting four major “respiratory crises” distinguished by severe coughing episodes reminiscent of asthma attacks. Dr. Alfieri had previously noted that two of these episodes were critical and endangered the pope’s life.
After the vomiting incident, it was Pope Francis’s personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, who encouraged the medical team to continue with treatment. “Try everything; don’t give up,” was the pivotal message conveyed by Strappetti, as narrated by Alfieri.
“For several days, we faced the risk of harming his kidneys and bone marrow, yet we persevered, and ultimately, his body reacted favorably to the treatment, resulting in an improvement in his lung infection,” the doctor added.
Since leaving the hospital, Pope Francis has been advised to rest for an additional two months to support his recovery, although it is uncertain how much he will be seen in public during this period.