By William J. Kole
Associated Press
Thursday, February 10, 2005; 6:31 AM
VATICAN CITY -- Pope John Paul II will leave the hospital on Thursday, the Vatican announced, 10 days after the 84-year-old pope was rushed to a Rome clinic with breathing spasms that rekindled questions about his frail health and ability to carry on.
Papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the pope was "cured" of the breathing crisis that led to his urgent hospitalization on Feb. 1 and that his general condition was continuing to improve.
Navarro-Valls said a battery of tests including a CAT scan had "excluded other pathologies," meaning it ruled out any new illnesses.
He said the pope would return later Thursday to his apartment in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, which would coincide with a traditional Lenten period of spiritual reflection for the pontiff with no public ceremonies. That way, the pontiff could try to regain strength before Easter without having to cancel anything.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13198-2005Feb10.html