Mike Arroyo recovering fast

Manila: President Gloria Arroyo's husband has recovered from a 10-hour risky operation that involved a repair of a distended aorta from his heart to his abdomen, doctors said.

Jose Miguel Arroyo, 60, woke up at 9:30am yesterday and "moved his hands, made the sign of the cross, and wrote, 'I love you' on the air", said his personal doctor, Juliet Cervantes of Saint Luke's Hospital in suburban Quezon City.

"The way it appears, he recovered faster than we thought," said Dr Cervantes who recommended that Arroyo should stay at the hospital for 10 more days because he would remain critical condition for the next 48 hours.

The operation for the rich realtor and lawyer was over at 5am. It involved the grafting of prosthetic materials called Dacron on the three swollen vessels of the aorta in his heart, and on the thinning aorta near his stomach and pancreas, Dr Jovencio Cuanang, a neurologist of St Luke's Hospital in suburban Quezon City, told Gulf News.

He underwent a three-vessel bypass on a distended coronary vessel that was noticed in last December after he underwent angioplasty to remove a blockage in a major artery, said the same doctor.

Dr Rommel Carino, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon, blamed Arroyo for not avoiding smoking and eating fatty foods as his doctors had ordered last year.

"At four in the afternoon, he was brought out of the cardiovascular recovery room of St Luke's to a presidential suite where he would be closely monitored for the next 48 hours," said Dr Cervantes, adding: "We pray we will be able to overcome the post-operative period without any of the dreaded complications."

The lobby leading to the presidential suite was full of flowers, visitors and well wishers.

President Arroyo held office and continued functioning as head of state while she stayed with her husband at the hospital. She delegated her public appointments to Vice President Noli de Castro and other cabinet members.

Thanking those who expressed their support for the First Gentleman, Press Secretary and spokesman Ignacio Bunye said, "President Arroyo and the First Family would like to express their gratitude to all those who have offered their prayers, sympathy and support at this difficult time." Opposition leaders also extended prayers for th healing of Arroyo.