ROME (CNS): Following a tracheotomy to alleviate breathing problems, Pope John Paul II may have to reduce his public appearances, rely more heavily on non-verbal communication and live in as sterile an environment as possible, said a neurological expert in Rome.
“He can carry out his papal duties, because the intellect is intact. But everything will certainly become more complicated,” Dr Fabrizio Stocchi told Catholic News Service on February 28.
The Pope was taken by ambulance to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for the second time in a month on February 24 after a recurrence of breathing problems caused by throat spasms, initially brought on by the flu. He had the 30-minute tracheotomy later that evening.
On February 25, the Vatican issued a reassuring medical bulletin, saying the Pope was already eating well and breathing more comfortably.
Doctors told the Pope not to speak for several days.
Dr Stocchi, a professor of neurology at the Institute of Neurological Research at Rome’s Sapienza University, is considered one of Italy’s best experts on Parkinson’s disease. The Pope is believed to suffer from the disease.
Dr Stocchi said he knows from experience and from speaking to other international experts in the field that the Vatican has consulted far and wide with neurological specialists in an effort to make sure the Pope has the best possible care.
