NEWS: Pope Rushed to Hospital

At the risk of looking like a vulture, and given the fact that Nerdling and I never agree excepts perhpas on that the pope is checking out, here is Papal Sucsession for dummies:

A Papal Succession Primer
An aging and ailing pope is inevitably cause for speculation as to who his successor will be -- and how he will be chosen. The ritual papal election has always attracted special attention, as detailed sacred procedures are followed to secure a legitimate succession of power. Here's a brief outline of how it's done:


When the Pope dies, the head of the Sacred College of Cardinals, or Camerlengo, verifies the death. Standing over the deceased, he calls the pontiff by his baptismal name three times. Upon receiving no response, he announces the death and arranges for the Fisherman's ring -- inscribed with the name of the reigning pope -- and papal seal to be broken. Later, another ring will be made for the newly elected pope. The Camerlengo then prepares for the Pope's burial and the traditional nine days of mourning. Assisted by three officials elected from the college, he directs the election of the pontiff's successor.

Fifteen to 20 days after the death of the Pope, the Sacred College of Cardinals meets for the election. Hailing from every corner of the globe, the cardinals are handpicked by the pope to advise and help him. There are currently 123 voting cardinals.

After a Mass of the Holy Spirit in St. Peter's Basilica, the cardinals enter a guarded annex of the Sistine Chapel for the election process, known as a conclave. Each cardinal swears an oath to protect the secrecy of the election. Breaking the oath carries a penalty of immediate excommunication. Literally locked within the walls of the annex, which is screened for bugging devices, the cardinals are sequestered from any contact with the outside world. Entrances are sealed and curtains closed.
How A Pope Is Chosen

"The flu condition that has afflicted the Holy Father for the past three days deteriorated tonight with an acute laryngospasm. For this reason, it was decided to urgently take the Pope to the Gemelli hospital," a Vatican statement said.

Laryngospasm is a closure of the larynx that blocks the passage of air to the lungs.

Errr, I've been with young people who've had those and you literally have only minutes to ensure the pipe is opened or you perform an emergency tracheostomy.




This is interesting...

History of the Procedure: The history of surgical access to the airway is largely one of condemnation. This technique of slashing the throat to save the life was known as "semislaughter." However, once it was perfected as a last resort in largely hopeless cases of diphtheria, the opportunities it offered for medical heroism ensured its place in the surgical armamentarium, such that Fabricius could write in the 17th century, "This operation redounds to the honor of the physician and places him on a footing with the gods." Documented references to the procedure include the following:

if it were only possible they should make the next pope either oprah or rob halford.

It is a sub optimal procedure unless done in the oeprating room. Having had to perform just such a procedure in a copter, its big time pucker factor. For emergency use you use a 14 F angiocath (needle) using the landmarks provided by Nerdling up above. THe drawback to this is that while you can Oxygenate (proved oxygen) you cannot ventelate (get rid of CO2) so you are buying time at best. Surgical intervention puts in a full time thracheostomy and works well once in. The lower picture shows a normal trach tube as opposed to an emergency one

[edit on 2/1/05 by FredT]

When the smoke goes up, the new Pope will only be the imprint of the world catholic populace
Holy Jesus!

Originally posted by dh
When the smoke goes up, the new Pope will only be the imprint of the world catholic populace
Holy Jesus!

Were you trying to say something rational there?

yes please
Mr Nostodamus has made another prophesy, may he elaborate...?

It's always such a shame to watch someone who obviously has such a brilliant and sharp mind become trapped in a failing body. The Pope has suffered for years now with Parkinsons disease, steadily growing weaker over the years. In his present state, and at his age, the flu can be a very difficult sckness to treat. While, I raised catholic, I have sense left the church for difference of opinions but I have to say that I have nothing but respect for this man. The position that he has held for years is obviously raught with political pressures but he has seemed to handle them very well. You could always tell that he was his own man and did what he felt was best probably against the wishes of his advisors. It's a shame that the horrible scandals of the recent years past couldn't have been confronted by a younger John Paul because I really feel that things would have been different. I wish him well and hope he recovers, but if not I hope he finds the beautiful world that he preached of throughout his life in this one.

Originally posted by FredT
It is a sub optimal procedure unless done in the oeprating room. Having had to perform just such a procedure in a copter

You've had to slice thru a persons larynx, on a helicopter?!

, its big time pucker factor. For emergency use you use a 14 F angiocath (needle)

Oh, so instead of slashing, you had to stab someone on the throat with a needle! Jezus. Remind me not to complain about my job.

Fred T, were you a medic in the service or a life flight nurse? Man, if the first, that has to be one of the most dangerous jobs in the armed forces. I bet you've been in some pretty hairy situations.

I wish the best for The Pope. I know he is an old man and the flu will surely hit him hard but ya gotta wonder. Didn't they give him his flu shot? Or didn't it work?

The Pope has been a thorn in my side many times with his butting in but I know his heart is in the right place and I hope he is not in any pain and that he will be okay.

God bless the Pope, is he the last Pope? I understand the next one will be the Anti- Christ and we got to watch out, because this guy the next Pope , who ever he is will apparently destroy the World. Any one heard anything about this Anti-Christ business its a bit scary. May be a fleet of Aliens with UFOs will come and run a shuttle service between Planets and save us and take us all to another Planet and start all over again.

hrm.....

I wish the next one could be Polish.....not likely, though....

Or even Black, that would be funny, for the ammount of racist Catholics I know....lmao.

Originally posted by Asteroid
God bless the Pope, is he the last Pope? I understand the next one will be the Anti- Christ and we got to watch out, because this guy the next Pope , who ever he is will apparently destroy the World. Any one heard anything about this Anti-Christ business its a bit scary. May be a fleet of Aliens with UFOs will come and run a shuttle service between Planets and save us and take us all to another Planet and start all over again.

I think you need to see St. Malachy's Pope Prophecy here... it states there will be 2 more popes, and is still an enduring mystery as to it's accuracy.

Here is a link....www.catholic-pages.com...


Also, there are theories that make a lot of sense on how Aliens are demons and will be incorporated in the end of times, and the rise of the Anti-Christ!

[edit on 2-2-2005 by Ryanp5555]

Originally posted by Nygdan
use you use a 14 F angiocath (needle)Oh, so instead of slashing, you had to stab someone on the throat with a needle! Jezus. Remind me not to complain about my job.

It was a bad epiglotitis. You make a small cut with a scaple after finding your landmarks and insert the angiocath. the needle part pulls out leaving the plastic tube in you hook up a bag and breath through it. When we landed they took them straight to the OR and put in an actual trach. So its slash and stab, but the cut is really small say less than a centimeter

Scared the crap out of me before and after. We landed and I had a case of the shakes like you would not believe.

ROME - Pope John Paul II spent a restful night in hospital, Italian news reports said Wednesday, a day after he was rushed to a hospital with breathing difficulties. The 84-year-old pontiff had been battling the flu for several days.

The pontiff rested "quite well," news agency ANSA said, quoting an unnamed Vatican source. The news agency Apcom also reported that the pope had spent a "quiet night."

The pope was being treated Wednesday for respiratory problems in Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic, after being taken there late Tuesday.
Pope Said Spent Restful Night in Hospital

Laryngospasms are often induced in drowning victims. It's one of the major saviors of potential drowning victims. The throat clamps shut, I think in 10% of people, when cold water suddenly contacts the face. He could have almost drowned in the bathtub. If that were the case, I doubt we'd see it in the news. They would call it something else, and maintain whatever illusion it is they think they're crafting.

I bet he got his flu shot. It may yet kill him.

The pope could very well be a nice old guy, but the things he stands for have brought untold suffering and death to the world. Anyone who thinks differently - I appreciate your quaint superstitions, but I draw the line when it comes to deliberate disinformation of a vulnerable populace. It wasn't cool in the Dark Ages in Europe, it's not cool in contemporary Africa either. If he has some proof for his claims, I'd examine it. Maybe AIDS is airborne, maybe it's genetic, maybe it's a food allergy, who knows, but until we know differently, lets all refrain from giving life threatening advice.

Pray for the pope.
I disagree wth catholisicm on many points, but I respect the pope immensly for the good he has tried and still is trying to do.
I mean hey The old Soviet Union wanted to assasinate him in the 70's what more proof do you need that he is a good man?

mwm

LOL Was that sarcasm? I hope it was sarcasm. I would require substantially more proof of his goodness. Personally. LOL That was the funniest thing I've read on ATS since I don't know when. I'm not even going to get into the reasons, cause I figure you have to be joking. If I'm wrong, we'll go into it, but please, don't tell me you were being serious.

serious as a heart attack.
I have always belived that the one of the best ways to measure a mans character is to see who opposes him.
After all if a man is the enemy of evil, then he must be on the side of the angels.