Cardinal George Released From Hospital
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Cardinal George was released from the hospital on Friday a week after being admitted for flu-like symptoms.
"Cardinal George was released from Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood on Friday afternoon, March 21, 2014," the archdiocese said in a statement released late Friday afternoon.
"The Cardinal was admitted on March 14 due to flu like symptoms and dehydration. An infection was identified and is being treated with antibiotics. He will resume his chemotherapy when his doctors feel it is appropriate and will continue to maintain his administrative and public schedule."
George is no stranger to Loyola's Medical Center, where he has been undergoing chemotherapy following a return of bladder cancer.
Despite the diagnosis, he immediately returned to work, even attending several public functions right after his first round of treatments.
But he then came down with the flu last week.
He was admitted to Loyola last Friday, suffering from dehydration.
A previously scheduled, routine two-hour appointment, turned into a week-long hospitalization.
A subsequent blood test discovered an infection, possibly related to his compromised immune system from chemotherapy, the cardinal and his doctors had been worried about.
"I can keep up my administrative schedule certainly with small meetings and some of the public events," George said recently. "You know how it works when you get chemo. Your immune system is weakened at certain times in the cycle."
That may have led to the infection doctors discovered last Saturday.
George was treated with antibiotics.
There's been no indication yet whether the infection and antibiotic treatment could delay his next round of chemotherapy.
Even the cardinal doesn't know what to expect. This chemo is different from the treatment he underwent two years ago and will have a different effect on him.
But those who've seen him, say he looks good, is in good spirits, and just wants to get home, as anyone who's been in the hospital understands, to get some sleep.
