FG gets clean bill of health

First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo is expected to be discharged from the St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) today following a two-day check-up, his doctor said yesterday.

His doctor gave Arroyo, who underwent triple heart bypass surgery last April, a clean bill of health.

President Arroyo, who spent two nights with her husband at the hospital, also underwent a routine check-up but the results reportedly would be known only today.

She is scheduled to leave on Sunday for Singapore to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

Dr. Rommel Cariño, who was one of the surgeons who operated on Mr. Arroyo, said he can be discharged any time but needs to undergo another major check up six months from now and every six months thereafter for the rest of his life.

He said that based on computerized tomography scan and 2D echo examinations, the damaged section of Mr. Arroyo’s aorta shrunk, indicating that the wound was healing.

He added the First Gentleman gained five pounds but his cholesterol and blood pressure levels were within tolerable levels. Mr. Arroyo also underwent other tests, including blood sugar examinations.

The President left SLMC yesterday at around 8 a.m. to attend Mass with lawmakers and returned to the hospital after lunch.

Since his heart surgery, the First Gentleman has been visiting SLMC twice a week for physical therapy.

Doctors have advised him to lessen his workload and avoid stressful situations.

Mrs. Arroyo has been admitted to the hospital a few times since last year for  various ailments including intestinal flu, which her doctors said could have been due to her heavy workload.