| John Paul II underwent another operation The Pope underwent another operation yesterday at the Italian Gemelli clinic. He was given a nasal-gastric tube to provide nutrition to the body. This was announced by Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls. Due to Parkinson's disease, from which the pontiff has been suffering for several years, problems have arisen with swallowing: even liquid food has ceased to pass into the body. Let us remember that recently the head of the Roman throne had serious breathing problems and had a trachetomy. Parkinson's disease then led to acute laryngo-tracheitis with spasmodic phenomena.
Joaquin Navarro-Valls assures the press that the pontiff's condition is actually improving. “The Holy Father is recovering slowly and gradually. “He spends several hours every day sitting in a chair, celebrating Mass in his private chapel in the Apostolic Palace, maintaining working contacts with his employees, and directly monitoring the activities of the Holy See and the life of the Church,” said a Vatican spokesman. True, public audiences of John Paul II are still cancelled. Apparently, just because of problems with breathing and speech. As for the probe, according to Navarro-Valls, it was only required to lighten the body’s load and “accelerate the recovery of strength” of the 84-year-old pontiff.
Initially, according to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, doctors intended to use another method of artificial nutrition for John Paul II - through a tube leading directly into the stomach, on the outer wall of which a small hole was made for the probe. It was planned that the operation would be performed by Guido Costamagna, a doctor at the Gemelli clinic. However, at the last moment plans changed, and a “softer” method was chosen.
The Vatican press service does not explain what influenced the change in the treatment plan. But, most likely, any serious surgery is contraindicated for the pontiff in his current condition. Let us recall that the Roman high priest has already undergone ten operations, two of them recently. True, the nasal probe cannot be called harmless enough. If you use it for more than a week, irritation of the mucous membrane and difficulty breathing begins. With a catheter inserted directly into the stomach, according to Italian doctors, you can survive for several years. It turns out to be a vicious circle from which most observers no longer see a way out.
By the way, when John Paul II appeared for the last time before the believers during the Easter blessing, he did not utter a word. The Italian press immediately explained that this was due to a lack of breath for speech. Now Italian media are suggesting that due to illness, the Pope has permanently lost the ability to speak. Mara Angeli, a specialist in the treatment of Parkinson's disease sufferers, said in an interview with Corriere della Sera that even if the pontiff can regain the ability to speak, it will be only partially. The normal process will be interfered with by a catheter inserted into the trachea. Kirill VASILENKO |
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