Editor’s Note: Every 12 hours the reports on Pope Francis’ health change. This time it is asserted that he has pneumonia in both lungs. But we are not told if this is all that he has. — Severe pneumonia can cause intense abdominal pain if one or both of the lower lobes of the lungs are infected. — However, the precision of the claim, this time, seems to be aimed chiefly at dispersing the intense interest in Pope Francis’ health after POLITICO revealed that the Pope himself thinks he may die. — Whether Pope Francis is very sick or merely suffering from a little paranoia, is hard to say at this point. But one cannot shake the feeling that the press releases since late last week are a psychological game with the public, and that this latest report is actually being given simply to quell fears of a worse condition: a worse condition or conditions which are actually killing him.
For more about what pneumonia is, see this detailed article by Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Though it does not appear that pneumonia is anything more than a diagnosis, some news sources are reporting this as a development caused by an ineffective treatment of his complex medical situation in the first 4 days of hospitalization.
What remains strange, is that the Gemelli Hospital is not naming the medical team treating the Pope. But we are given the names of his 3 secretaries who visit him daily: Father Daniel Pellizon (Argentina), Juan Cruz Villalón (Argentina), and Fabio Salerno (Italy). This seems to indicate that he is suffering from an inability to speak in Italian, that is, under some sort of restriction on mental awareness. It also seems to indicate that he has not been put in an isolation unit, which is something you would expect with a “polymicrobial” infection, seeing that close daily contact with outsiders can introduce new pathogens into the air. And this, in turn, puts in doubt that the lung issue is his real medical condition. It also says a lot about the lack of discretion of his medical staff.
As for the Vatican’s press relations, it is clear that not a few line editors have lost confidence that the Vatican is being transparent:
While others have dispensed all together with the apparent charade:
Traduction française :
VATICAN – LE PAPE FRANÇOIS SOUFFRE D’UNE PNEUMONIE POLYMICROBIENNE BILATÉRALE
https://www.homelie.biz/2025/02/vatican-le-pape-francois-souffre-d-une-pneumonie-polymicrobienne-bilaterale.html
“Polymicrobic pneumonia” could indeed be systemic, therefore sepsis, with multi-organ failure.
It is sounding more like it with each report.
Is pneumonia possible without a fever? And would it have anything to do with his bloated appearance?
Yes, it’s possible, but it is not normal. Not to run a fever when I’m very sick has made diagnosis hard. And I have to remember to tell Dr’s of this condition when I have been to emergency room etc.
Yes its possible. As mentioned, it is an impaired immune response.
The swelling and bloat is due to poor heart and kidney function. I have seen people with 50 pounds of edema. Imagine how painful it is for your skin to be stretching and carrying around that much fluid.
This morning, they said his heart is beating fine. Imply that before it was not. And saying nothing about his kidneys.
A heart can be beating but not effectively or efficiently. If his heart was working properly he would not have that tremendous fluid build up that’s obvious in photos. Even if the kidneys are functional, they cannot keep up with this much fluid dysregulation.
I simply don’t believe he does not have heart and kidney dysfunction.
Just minutes ago it is reported that his condition is a delicate one: doctors want to see if he improves in the next 48 hours. They dont want him to be in cold drafts or stressful situations.
It is true that when new antibiotic treatment is implemented the next 48 hours are the most critical in achieving a favorable response. It either starts working and the patient improves, or the condition deteriorates.
How could a person with one lung have double pneumonia? What am I missing here? 🤔
He has two lungs, only part of one of them was removed in 1958. But the lazy media who want you to have sympathy for him, for years have said that he had one of them removed.