Arroyo health condition improving, says police doctor

MANILA, Philippines—The condition of former president and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has “significantly improved” except for some minor pains on her back, feet, and “weak neck,” a memorandum by a police doctor said.

In a November 23 report obtained by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Senior Superintendent Hermenegilda Salangad, head of the Philippine National Police-National Capital Region Police Office medical section, suggested that Arroyo’s health had gotten considerably better.

Salangad, in her memorandum to Interior Secretary Jesse M. Robredo, said she conferred with Arroyo’s main attending physician, Dr. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes, on November 19, 21 and 22 to monitor the progress of the former president’s medical condition.

The police official said she also visited and interviewed the patient and reviewed the patient’s medical records.

In her “over-all assessment,” Salangad said Arroyo’s “present medical status has significantly improved except for the complaints of pain on low back, left knee, weakness of both feet and weak neck.”

Her other findings include:

a. “Patient was seen lying flat on her back on the bed, wearing a Minerva vest, no IV fluid but still with plaster on site of her previous IVF on her left arm, conscious, coherent, not in cardio-respiratory distress, no observable sign of pain but complains of pain on her low back and left leg and “tingling” of toes when asked, slight weakness of both feet, no complaints of diarrhea, BP 120/80;

b. “Patient is suffering from Anorexia probably secondary to stress;

c. “Patient needs physical rehabilitation/ physical therapy for her neck and low back pain and left knee pain;

d. “The low back pain is secondary to nerve root compression from a foraminal stenosis at L5-S1. This was confirmed by the MRI done on Nov. 21, 2011;

e. “The left knee pain of 1-day duration is due to Patello-femoral Osteoarthritis;

f. “The low back pain and left knee pain are being treated conservatively using physical therapy and oral pain relievers. She is on a 48-hour complete bed rest and being observed for any worsening or relief of pain;

g. “The recent laboratory results showed that her Intact Parathyroid Hormone (dated 11/20/2011) is within normal limits, hence, patient’s Hypoparathyroidism is resolving. Calcium, magnesium and vitamin D supplements are being maintained. All other laboratory reports are within the normal levels;

h. “X-ray of the neck shows that her cervical spine implants are in place and show no sign of loosening and with increased density of her bone graft. Repeat x-ray is scheduled on Dec. 8;

i. “Patient has been advised to change the Minerva brace to a hard cervical collar (Miami J) to prevent stiffening and atrophy of neck muscles. Continued physical rehabilitation therapy is recommended;

j. “The attending physician reports that the patient is sensitive (or adversely reactive) to many kinds of medications especially the antibiotics.”