Following his breathing crisis, Pope Francis's doctors were concerned and thought of stopping his treatment in order to "let him go."

Days after Pope Francis was discharged from the hospital after a protracted stay, one of his physicians said that his medical team briefly contemplated stopping treatment after a particularly severe respiratory crisis.
According to USA Today and the Associated Press, the 88-year-old pope had a "bronchospasm" and ingested his own vomit on February 28, according to Dr. Sergio Alfieri, who heads the pope's medical staff at Rome's Gemelli hospital and who spoke to the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

 

The Cleveland Clinic states that bronchospasms are caused by a tightening of the muscles in the lungs' airways, which causes "wheezing, coughing, and other symptoms."
Because of the severity of the medical event, physicians were concerned that he "might not survive the night."
According to the AP, Alfieri told the Italian source, "We had to decide whether to stop and let him go or to push it and attempt with all of the possible drugs and treatments, taking the very high risk of damaging other organs." "That's the route we ultimately took."

Alfieri claimed that Massimiliano Strappetti, the pope's personal healthcare aide, advised them to "try everything," according to CNN.
"No one gave up," the physician said.

Francis, who was first admitted for bronchitis and "diagnostic tests" but later acquired double pneumonia, was released from the hospital on Sunday, March 23, according to a statement issued by the Vatican.

The pope appeared in public on his hospital's balcony that same day. He was seen expressing appreciation and waving to the audience in a video that Good Morning America was able to secure.
The pope's physician told the Italian daily that the pope wanted to ensure that the public was aware of the situation during the medical crisis.

Alfieri told CNN that "he wanted us to tell him the truth about his condition, and he asked us to tell him the truth from the first day." "Nothing was ever modified or omitted."

 

The AP previously reported that Alfieri said the pontiff will require at least two months of rest, rehabilitation, and convalescence, while also being advised to avoid meeting in groups.