CNA:
Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug 21, 2009 / 10:20 am (CNA).- The Holy See’s Press Office has issued a statement today announcing that the Pope Benedict XVI’s personal physician, Dr. Patrizio Polisca, has removed the cast from the Holy Father’s right wrist.
After wearing the cast for just over a month, Dr. Polisca removed the cast at Castel Gandolfo and took an X-ray of the Pope’s wrist, which he fractured on July 16 while on vacation in northern Italy.
The X-ray showed that the fractured to the Pope’s right wrist is healing as expected.
“The final results can be defined as optimum,” the doctor said.
Pope Benedict will now begin physical therapy to recover the full use of his right hand, Dr. Polisca explained.
Ah yes… the therapy.
As one who has been there and done that, I can attest that it is very important.
But the Holy Father is very disciplined in doing what his doctors have directed. For example, he was told he had to walk every day, and walk he did! And still does.
So, I imagine that the Holy Father will be set to, for example, squeezing a rubble ball and all that good stuff… probably while dictating.
I wonder…
Under the Obama Adminstration, what sort of health care might be envisioned for an octogenarian who broke his wrist? Given the cost v age criteria, would he have been able to get therapy after the cast in the emergency room? Would he have been admitted to the emergency room?
Yes… I suppose at least that much.
