DAILY HEALING MASSES FOR GMA CONTINUES / GMA UP AND ABOUT, NO VISITORS YET
[PHOTO - THE ARROYO FAMILY IS VERY GRATEFUL FOR PRAYERS FROM SUPPORTERS AND EVEN CRITICS FOR EARLY RECOVERY OF FORMER PRES. GLORIA ARROYO]
MANILA, AUGUST 30, 2011 (STAR) By Perseus Echeminada - The daily healing Masses for former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will continue until she fully recovers from her third spinal surgery.
Lawyer Raul Lambino, spokesman of the Arroyo family, told The STAR that family members, friends and supporters of the Arroyos attend the Mass being held at 6 p.m. at the chapel of St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City.
At least 100 individuals, including former government officials, attended last Thursday's Mass for the speedy recovery of the former president. Among them were former environment secretary Lito Atienza, ex-Presidential Commission on Good Government chairman Camilo Sabio, and officials of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce.
"The (Arroyo) family is very grateful for the prayers from supporters and even critics for the early recovery of the former president," Lambino said.
He said Arroyo's condition has improved two days after doctors successfully reconstructed the dislodged cervical spine implant.
Arroyo's chief physician Dr. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes had advised her to go on leave from Congress for about a month to ensure her full recovery.
Cervantes said that Arroyo, who is on a general liquid diet, could resume her normal diet starting today.
Arroyo will remain at the coronary care unit of St. Luke's for seven to 10 more days until her doctors feel that it is safe to transfer her to a regular room.
"As soon as she fully recovers I will seek an audience for any instruction regarding the legal issues raised against the family," Lambino told reporters.
He added that former first gentleman Mike Arroyo welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order on the watchlist issued against the Arroyos by the Department of Justice.
"The watchlist order issued by the DOJ is a violation of the rights of the people to travel," Lambino said.
FROM MANILA BULLETIN
GMA now up and about, but not yet allowed visitors By FRANCIS T. WAKEFIELD August 29, 2011, 6:04pm
MANILA, Philippines -- Former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been watching television and reading a lot since her third cervical spine surgery last Wednesday, the spokeswoman of St. Luke's Hospital in Taguig City said Monday.
Marilen Lagniton, St. Luke's vice president for customers affairs and spokeswoman, said in a text message to Manila Bulletin that the former Chief Executive has also been walking since her last surgery that lasted for more than five hours.
Lagniton, however, said that despite this, immediate family members are the only ones allowed to visit Mrs. Arroyo while she is still confined at the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of the hospital as precautionary measure.
"Ok naman (She's doing fine). In general still the same – able to walk around, watches TV, reads a lot. No visitors except immediate family (members)," Lagniton said.
Lagniton also said Arroyo's personal physician Dr. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes, is expected to give the latest medical bulletin on Mrs. Arroyo later in the week.
Earlier, doctors led by Dr. Mario Ver, the veteran orthopedic surgeon of the former President, placed a titanium mesh that contains bone graft harvested from parts of Mrs. Arroyo's pelvic bone which is also called a "posterior ilium" which they hope will lead to growth of bones that will fuse her cervical spine.
Ver said it would take weeks before they could determine if there was "fusion" on Mrs. Arroyo's bones. That's also the reason why the halo vest that was put on Mrs. Arroyo to support her brittle cervical spine had not been removed yet.
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