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February has been one of the worse months for the Pope’s health. On 1 February the Pope was taken to hospital with “breathing difficulties brought on by flu”.
A few days later Catholics all over the world rejoiced as the Pope appeared at the Gemelli hospital’s window to read part of the Angelus blessing. Due to his hospitalisation, the Pope missed the Ash Wednesday service at the Vatican for the first time in 26 years.
On the 10 of February he returned to the Vatican in a motorcade, waving to the crowds and three days later he appeared at the Vatican for Sunday blessing for the first time since leaving hospital.
On Thursday the Pope returned to hospital following a relapse of flu. A medical procedure called tracheotomy was performed on the Pope. This is a procedure where the surgeon makes a hole in the air passage to allow the patient to breathe. A tube is passed through the hole, down the throat and into the main airway at the top of the lungs.
In normal circumstances this procedure is a routine one. But since the Pope is an elderly man, there is a chance that the Pope could develop an infection after such an operation. The Pope’s illness is aggravated because of his Parkinson’s Disease, which may weaken his powers of recovery.
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