Cardinal Vidal ‘stable, conscious’ but still in ICU

Ricardo Cardinal Vidal

Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal is now in stable condition after he was rushed to the hospital and fell into a semicoma early this week.

The 86-year-old Vidal is still confined at the intensive care unit of Perpetual Succour Hospital in Cebu City, said Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, the attending physician of the prelate.

“He was rushed to the hospital early Wednesday morning after complaining of mild fever and breathing difficulties,” Bullecer said when interviewed on Saturday over Church-run Radio Veritas.

Bullecer asked the public to continue praying for Vidal’s complete recovery, saying: “He nearly suffered cardiopulmonary arrest due to infections in the blood.”

Vidal was rushed to the hospital at past 2 a.m. on Wednesday, but collapsed a few hours later, falling into a semicoma state.

Last rites

Contrary to earlier reports, the prelate did not suffer cardiac arrest but fell ill due to sepsis as a result of the immune response to bacterial infection in the blood, his doctor said.

According to Bullecer, Vidal’s vital signs and heart condition have normalized although physicians are still looking into how the prelate got the infection.

Because of the seriousness of Vidal’s health, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma administered the Sacrament of Extreme Unction to him on Wednesday.

The prelate’s return to consciousness and responsiveness after two days of being unconscious was deemed a miracle, although he was still unable to talk.

“He just passed the most crucial stage, though still in the ICU (intensive care unit), but we have signs of improvements compared to yesterday wherein he was completely unresponsive,” Bullecer said.

Vidal suffered a mild stroke in September 2013 and was in and out of the hospital in 2014 due to pneumonia.

He served as archbishop of Cebu for 29 years until his resignation in October 2010, which was accepted by then Pope Benedict XVI the following year.

Vidal, who has been staying at Sto. Niño Village in Cebu City, was succeeded by Palma.

Vidal is one of the four living cardinals in the Philippines, along with Manila Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.