First Gentleman to be discharged from St. Luke's today

MANILA, Philippines - First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo is scheduled to be discharged today from the St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC), two weeks after he was rushed to the hospital due to a recurring life-threatening heart ailment.

A medical bulletin issued late Monday by his doctors stated that Mr. Arroyo’s blood pressure remains stable due to anti-hypertensive medication and a heart-friendly diet.

“His low back pain is remarkably improved to almost zero pain. This enables him to continue progressive physical rehabilitation, which he will continue to do on an out-patient basis after discharge,” according to the bulletin issued by his attending physicians Juliet Gopez-Cervantes, Gary Lopez, and Rommel Cariño.

“Because of this remarkable improvement, we are planning on discharging the First Gentleman on Wednesday,” they said.

Arroyo was rushed to the SLMC on March 25 after complaining of back pains. Doctors found that it was due to a new tear in his aorta, surgically-repaired three years ago and which was in danger of rupturing.

President Arroyo, who held office at the hospital since his confinement, began resuming her public engagements starting with her 63rd birthday thanksgiving Mass in her hometown of Lubao, Pampanga last Monday.

She is scheduled to leave for Hanoi, Vietnam tomorrow to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

Mr. Arroyo is not likely to go on foreign trips soon because of his condition.

Prior to his confinement, he watched the fight of Filipino world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao against Joshua Clottey of Ghana in Dallas, Texas last month.