Recovering Pope jokes with aides

The pope confounded sceptics who had his obituary ready to roll today when he ate a hearty breakfast and silently joked with aides only hours after undergoing surgery to ease another breathing crisis.

John Paul is breathing on his own and is not suffering from pneumonia, the Vatican said, taking pains to cast his condition in a positive light.

Papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the frail 84-year-old spent a restful night at Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic, where doctors advised him not to speak for a few days.

He was rushed back to hospital on Wednesday night less than two weeks after being released following treatment for flu and breathing problems.

John Paul’s latest health scare was certain to further fuel speculation about whether he could continue as Pope, and what would happen if he was incapacitated.

Navarro-Valls said the Pope was given a mild anaesthetic and the operation that doctors performed to cut a small breathing hole in his neck “was not an emergency procedure”.

“It was a question of assuring adequate breathing of the patient,” he said.

Italian news agencies had reported that John Paul was placed on a respirator after the surgery, but Navarro-Valls said the pope “had no need of assisted breathing”.

“Assisted means mechanical, which wasn’t used yesterday, nor last night, nor this morning. There was no need,” he said.

“The Holy Father spent a night of tranquil rest,” he said. “This morning, he ate breakfast with a good appetite. He’s breathing on his own and cardio-circulatory conditions remain good.

“Upon the advice of his doctors, the Pope must not speak for several days, so as to favour the recovery of the functions of the larynx,” Navarro-Valls said.

Navarro-Valls said the Pope’s breakfast included coffee with milk, 10 biscuits and yoghurt. “He ate everything,” the spokesman said.

After the operation the Pope wrote a note to his aides saying, “What did they do to me?” Navarro-Valls said, describing it as a joking message.

“I am always totus tuus,” Navarro-Valls quoted the Pope as writing. Totus tuus is John Paul’s Latin motto translated by his spokesman as meaning, I am completely in your hands.

The Vatican did not expect to issue another medical bulletin until Monday.

Navarro-Valls said a decision would be made tomorrow on what the Pope will do for his Sunday noon blessing, a tradition very dear to the pontiff.

Italian Cabinet Under-secretary Gianni Letta, Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s right-hand man, visited the Pope after the operation.

John Paul raised his hand and attempted to speak with doctors but was told not to try, Letta said.

Before the operation, the Pope was well enough to joke with his medical team, Letta said. When doctors told the Pope that the operation would be a small one, the Pope retorted: “Small, it depends for whom,” according to Letta, who cited doctors’ accounts.

The tracheotomy will likely have serious consequences for the Pope’s ability to carry on his duties.