by Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The swelling in Pope John Paul II's throat, which made it difficult for him to breathe, is diminishing, and he has not had any more episodes of the voice-box spasms that led to his hospitalization Feb. 1, a Vatican spokesman said.

"The general and respiratory conditions of the Holy Father have shown a positive change," Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the spokesman, said in a Feb. 3 statement.

"The acute laryngeal tracheitis is in a phase of regression, and there have been no repeats of the episodes of laryngeal spasms, which motivated his urgent hospitalization," the statement continued.

"The Holy Father rested peacefully throughout the night," the spokesman said.

After a Feb. 3 morning visit to the pope, Navarro-Valls told reporters at the hospital that the pope's tests were "satisfactory" and that it would be up to the doctors to decide how long the pope would remain at Rome's Gemelli Hospital.

The spokesman, who trained as a medical doctor, said, "In my experience, it usually is about seven days."

Like other world leaders, U.S. President George W. Bush sent the pope a get-well message, the text of which was released by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See.

"I was saddened to hear of your recent illness," the president wrote. "On behalf of the American people, Laura and I send you warm wishes for a speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time."

The pope was taken by ambulance to Gemelli Hospital at 10:50 p.m. Feb. 1 after experiencing difficulty breathing.

By the next morning, Pope John Paul's condition had stabilized, and he was able to concelebrate Mass from his hospital bed, Navarro-Valls said.

A Vatican official close to the pope told Catholic News Service Feb. 2 that "everything was calm, there was no panic" in the Vatican when the pope experienced difficulty breathing.

"They took him to the hospital just to make him more comfortable," the official said.

"He needs to rest for a few days in order to recover," he said.

The official said no one close to the pope thought the illness would be fatal.

Navarro-Valls had said that within 12 hours the pope's "cardiorespiratory and metabolic" functions were "within normal limits," although the pope did have a "slight fever" the morning of Feb. 2.

Beyond saying that the pope received "respiratory assistance" upon arriving at the hospital, Navarro-Valls would not specify the treatment the pope was receiving.

When asked if the pope had to undergo a tracheotomy, when a hole is cut in the trachea to assist breathing, Navarro-Valls said, "Absolutely not."

The spokesman said the pope did not lose consciousness when he was having trouble breathing Feb. 1, but obviously the episode "was sufficiently serious" that his personal physician, Dr. Renato Buzzonetti, decided hospitalization was advisable.

Navarro-Valls confirmed that after checking the pope into the hospital and assisting with his care, Buzzonetti left Gemelli at about 1:30 a.m. Feb. 2 and returned to the pope's side at 6 a.m.

The spokesman said that the pope was doing well enough at 10:15 a.m. Feb. 2 to begin concelebrating Mass with his private secretaries, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz and Msgr. Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki.

A guard at the hospital, who said he had seen the pope arrive in the ambulance, told Catholic News Service Feb. 2, "he was not doing well," he looked "awful. Let us hope for the best."

Earlier, Navarro-Valls had said that the pope began showing symptoms of the flu Jan. 30 and canceled his appointments for Jan. 31.

Then, Navarro-Valls said Feb. 1 the flu was continuing its natural progression, leading the pope to cancel his appointments for Feb. 1-2 as well.

In his final public appearance before he was hospitalized, the pope appeared in his apartment window overlooking St. Peter's Square to lead the Sunday noon Angelus Jan. 31. His voice was hoarse, but it did not stop him from greeting visitors in the square below.

In Washington, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement seeking prayers.

"I ask Catholics and others to join with the bishops of the United States in prayer for our Holy Father's comfort and health," said Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash. He said the pope "is a beloved figure, who especially loves the church in the United States, and appreciates our concern."

Cardinal Adam J. Maida of Detroit asked the Lord to "look kindly on our Holy Father and embrace him with your merciful love."