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By Shane Croucher
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Pope Francis's medical team at Rome's Gemelli Hospital had to choose whether to let him live or die as he gasped for air while suffering from bilateral pneumonia, it has been revealed.
Sergio Alfieri, the hospital's medical and surgical chief, who led the team treating the pope, spoke to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
"We had to choose whether to stop and let him go or force and try all possible drugs and therapies, running the very high risk of damaging other organs. And in the end we took this path," Alfieri said.
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The 88-year-old pope finally left the hospital on Sunday, ending a stint that lasted more than five weeks and drew crowds of pilgrims and well-wishers who prayed outside the building for his swift recovery.
'That Evening Was Terrible'
The doctor said February 28 was the worst moment in the pope's treatment. Pope Francis had been in hospital for two weeks and his condition had worsened.
"It's ugly," Alfieri said, noting that the pope was experiencing bronchospasm that left him gasping for air and asking for help.
"For the first time, I saw tears in the eyes of some people around him," Alfieri told Corriere della Sera.
"People who, I understood in this period of hospitalization, sincerely love him, like a father. We were all aware that the situation had further worsened and there was a risk that he would not make it."
However, Massimiliano Strappetti, the pope's personal health assistant, said it was the pontiff's wish for doctors to keep trying and not give up, Alfieri said: "That's what we all thought too. And no one gave up."
The pope knew he was facing death. "Even when his condition worsened, he was fully conscious," Alfieri told the newspaper.
"That evening was terrible, he knew, like us, that he might not make it through the night. We saw the man suffering. However, from day one, he asked us to tell him the truth and wanted us to tell the truth about his condition."
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Pope Francis Leaves the Hospital
As he left the hospital on Sunday, the pope sat in the front passenger seat of his white Fiat 500L wearing nasal tubes to give him oxygen as he entered the Perugino gate of Vatican City, where his return brought relief to Catholics worldwide.
He made a surprise stop at his favorite basilica, St. Mary Major, on the way home before beginning two months of prescribed rest and recovery.
Francis didn't get out of the car but gave a bouquet of flowers to the basilica's cardinal to place in front of the Salus populi Romani icon.
The Byzantine-style painting on wood is revered by Romans and is so important to Francis that he has chosen to be buried in the basilica to be near it.
The tour through Rome's historic center came after Francis made his first appearance in five weeks to give a thumbs-up and brief blessing from a hospital balcony.
Hundreds of people had gathered on a brilliant spring Sunday morning to say goodbye and catch a first glimpse of Francis, who seemed to be gasping for air.
"I see this woman with the yellow flowers. Brava!" a bloated-looking Francis said in a breathless voice. He gave a weak sign of the cross before being wheeled back inside.
Chants of "Viva il papa!" and "Papa Francesco" erupted from the crowd, which included patients who had been wheeled outside just to catch his brief appearance.
What People Are Saying
"Unfortunately, yes, there was a moment when many were saying that he might not make it. And it was painful for us," said Mario Balsamo, the owner of a coffee shop in front of Gemelli. "Instead, today with the discharge, we are very happy that he is well and we hope he will recover soon and will recover his strength."
At the Vatican, where a Holy Year is under way, pilgrims cheered and applauded when Francis' greeting from Gemelli was broadcast live on giant TV screens in St. Peter's Square.
"For me it was an important emotional experience to see him, because many people were waiting for this moment," said Sister Luisa Jimènez, a nun from Francis' native Argentina.
Another nun from the same order, Colombian Sister Angel Bernal Amparo, expressed concern, given his bloating and inability to speak much.
"He didn't look well," she said. "He couldn't (talk) and I realized it was because of his breathing and, well, he left right there. But I was glad to have seen him."
What's Next
Doctors say Francis needs two months of rest and convalescence at the Vatican, during which he should refrain from meeting with big groups of people or exerting himself. But they said he should be able to resume all his normal activities eventually.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni declined to confirm any upcoming events, including a scheduled audience on April 8 with King Charles III or Francis' participation in Easter services at the end of the month.
But Carbone said he hoped Francis might be well enough to travel to Turkey at the end of May to participate in an important ecumenical anniversary.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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