THE condition of First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo has been improving after being hospitalized Thursday due to heart complication.
Citing the medical bulletin released by St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City Friday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Gary Olivar said there was an improvement in the level of back pain of First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, which he complained when he was rushed to the hospital Thursday.
“Clinically there is a marked improvement in the level of his back pain, so the pain reliever will just be given on an as-needed basis,” Olivar said, reading the bulletin prepared by the First Gentleman’s attending physician Juliet Gopez-Cervantes, Cardiologist Gary Lopez, and Cardiovascular-Surgeon Rommel Carino.
“Hypertensive medicines are gradually being decreased,” he added.
The Palace official said the doctors of the First Gentleman are putting him in a progressive diet aside from rehabilitation.
“While his overall condition is remarkably improved, we still have to closely monitor him as he could still encounter some possible complications of this re-dissection of the thoracic aorta,” the bulletin stated.
This development was welcomed by the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whom Olivar said never left the side of her husband.
President Arroyo again cancelled all her schedules Friday to be able to take care of the First Gentleman.
“To the extent possible, mukhang aalalayan ni Pangulo si First Gentleman sa kasalukuyan po niyang panahon ng pangangailangan,” Olivar said.
Another Palace spokesperson Charito Planas said the President would put her family first than anything else, including her political ambitions.
Local campaign period has started Friday but Planas said that with the delicate condition of Mr. Arroyo, the President would rather be on his side.
“Her constituents urged her to run, they will understand,” she said, adding that the President will definitely make time to visit Pampanga.
Olivar reiterated that President Arroyo need not to campaign in Pampanga where she is seeking for the post of her son Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo representing the province’s second district.
“She (President Arroyo) has said it that her priorities will be governance over campaigning,” he said.
Redouble efforts
Amid health crisis in the First Family, President’s spokesperson Ricardo Saludo said Mrs. Arroyo has instructed the Cabinet and other top officials to double their efforts to address pressing problems in the country, including El Nino.
“We urge the Cabinet and other top officials to lighten the burden on the President by redoubling efforts to address pressing concerns of our people, especially hardships brought by El Niño, and finish her developmental agenda before she steps down in June,” Saludo said.
He also asked for prayers for the speedy recovery of First Gentleman Arroyo.
It was a tradition of the First Family to spend Holy Week in Baguio.
But with Mr. Arroyo’s condition, the Palace official could not confirm if the Arroyo family will be pushing through with their annual tradition. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)