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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 29607, member: 2262"] Pope Francis returned home Sunday after spending more than five weeks in the hospital with breathing problems. Before leaving, he thanked everyone who wished him well. The tired-looking Pope sat in his wheelchair on a hospital balcony and waved gently to hundreds of people. The crowd chanted his name as they saw him for the first time since February 14. Francis spoke weakly into a microphone, saying, "Thank you, everyone," and waved from his lap. He noticed someone special and said, "I can see that woman with yellow flowers, well done," which made the crowd laugh. He stayed on the balcony just two minutes before the hospital discharged him. He left by car with a plastic tube in his nose that gave him oxygen. A bishop from Pennsylvania named Larry James Kulick felt joy seeing the Pope. He believed Francis responded to prayers and chanting from the crowd. Domenico Papisca Marra, a 69-year-old Catholic from southern Italy, rushed to see Francis when he heard about the appearance. "I am really happy to have seen him... I am really in love with Pope Francis," he said. The Pope drove past the Vatican first and stopped at Santa Maria Maggiore church in Rome, where he always prays before and after trips. Later, people saw him return to the Vatican. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posted that she felt happy Francis returned home and thanked him for his commitment and guidance. This hospital stay marked his fourth and longest since becoming Pope in 2013. Francis had part of one lung removed when he was young and lost weight during his hospital stay. He faces at least two months of recovery time. His health problems have made people wonder if he might resign as Pope Benedict XVI did. The Pope experienced several breathing crises during his stay. Doctors performed procedures to remove secretions from his lungs and gave him blood. The serious nature of his condition became clear on March 6 when people heard an audio recording where Francis spoke with a weak, breathless voice. He worked a little during his hospital time when possible. His doctors told him to avoid crowds and baby-kissing for a long time. Doctor Sergio Alfieri explained hospitals can cause more infections, making them bad places to recover fully. Francis cannot resume his normal daily activities during recovery. This change creates difficulties for someone who keeps a busy schedule and loves talking with his followers. People also wonder who might lead important Easter religious events. When reporters asked about resignation rumors, Vatican Secretary Pietro Parolin answered firmly: "No, no, no. Absolutely not." At his worst moments, Francis used assisted breathing devices with nasal tubes and oxygen masks. Doctors said he faced "very critical" life-threatening situations twice but stayed conscious throughout. They declared him out of danger after a month of treatment. Because of his pneumonia, Francis needs physical therapy to recover his normal voice since the illness damaged his lungs and strained his breathing muscles. [/QUOTE]

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