Cardinal George resting well after second emergency surgery

Cardinal Francis George was recovering well Saturday at Loyola University Medical Center after undergoing surgery to remove his bladder and a second emergency surgery to stop internal bleeding, said the Archdiocese of Chicago.

According to church officials, the cardinal was well enough Saturday to get out of bed and move about.

"He’s in very good spirits. This morning he prayed the rosary with members of his staff," Dr. Myles Sheehan, a priest and the cardinal's personal physician, told CBS 2.

According to the Chicago Sun Times, the 69-year-old cardinal had five hours of surgery Thursday to remove his cancerous bladder, his prostate gland, part of his right ureter and several lymph nodes.

He had a second, two-hour emergency surgery early Friday to stop internal bleeding that resulted from the initial surgery. According to CBS 2, surgeons found a small blood vessel in the pelvis that was bleeding.

Urological surgeon Dr. Robert Flanigan reportedly told Dr. Sheehan that the two-millimeter artery was likely cut during node exploration deep in the pelvis.

He had a slight fever of 101 degrees on Friday, but Dr. Sheehan said that was to be expected in the days after a major surgery. There are no signs of infection.

As of Saturday morning, there was no sign of further bleeding, his vital signs were stable and he no longer had a fever. Dr. Sheehan said he would like the cardinal to convalesce until Labor Day.

Cardinal George, who has headed the Archdiocese of Chicago since 1997, expressed gratitude for all the prayers that have been offered for him and appreciates continuing prayers on his behalf, the statement said.

Dozens of prayer services have been held around the archdiocese, including a prayer vigil at Holy Name Cathedral overnight when he went in for surgery.

Pathology tests are due this week to further assess the cardinal’s overall health. The archdiocese's website said there would be another update on his condition Monday afternoon.

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