BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR
PRESIDENTIAL spouse Jose Miguel Arroyo was
discharged past noon yesterday from the St. Luke’s Hospital
where he stayed overnight following a bout of diarrhea.
"I’m okay, I’m okay… the doctors have cleared
me. I can go home already," he said in an ambush interview as he
was leaving the hospital in Quezon City.
He was accompanied by sons Pampanga Rep. Juan
Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo and Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado Ignacio "Dato"
Arroyo, and family physician Juliet Cervantes.
Arroyo said he was advised by his physicians
to continue his medication, diet and post-surgery
rehabilitation. He belied reports that he suffered a heart
attack.
He said he talked with President Arroyo who
had proceeded to Peru for the Asia Pacific Economic Conference.
Mr. Arroyo was part of the presidential
delegation that left Friday afternoon for the APEC meet. The
plane had to make an emergency medical landing in Osaka around
11 p.m. Friday.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita initially
came up with a statement saying Mr. Arroyo might have suffered a
heart attack, triggering an emergency landing.
He also said three of Mr. Arroyo’s physicians
were flown to Osaka to check on his condition.
At around 2 a.m. Saturday, Interior Secretary
Ronaldo Puno issued a statement saying Mr. Arroyo was brought to
a hospital in Osaka because of abdominal pains.
The President left Osaka around 9 a.m.
Saturday for a Los Angeles stop-over.
Mr. Arroyo stayed behind on the advice of
Japanese physicians. He was later turned over to his physicians.
They arrived at Villamor Air Base around 2:10 p.m. Saturday and
proceeded directly to St. Luke’s.
Mr. Arroyo said he experienced excruciating
abdominal pain while on the plane, and because of his medical
history, doctors on board decided to have the plane make an
emergency landing.
Mr. Arroyo underwent open heart surgery in
April last year after being diagnosed with dissecting aortic
aneurysm.
Cervantes said tests showed Mr. Arroyo
suffered severe abdominal pain and diarrhea triggered most
likely by his food intake before the trip.
She added Mr. Arroyo could still travel
abroad but should avoid eating before a flight.
Mr. Arroyo said he would still go to regular
post-surgery therapy, scheduled Tuesdays.
He said he would return to St. Luke’s also on
Friday with the President for their weekend executive checkup.
Cervantes said the checkup would be similar
to that in November 2007. She said the couple are actually a
little late for their check up this year.
She said it might take about one to two days
to complete the executive checkup.
Arroyo is expected to return late Nov. 27 or
early the following day.
