JERUSALEM (JTA) — Former Israeli President Shimon Peres remains in serious but stable condition, a CT scan showed five days after he suffered a massive stroke.
The scan, conducted Sunday morning at Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer near Tel Aviv, reportedly found no change in Peres’ condition since he suffered a stroke and bleeding on the brain on Tuesday.
Peres is being weaned off anesthesia and the respirator he has been on since the stroke to allow him to rest and recover, the Hebrew news website Walla reported Sunday afternoon. It could take two hours to two days for the process to be completed, allowing doctors to truly assess Peres’ condition and make decisions with the family about future treatment and rehabilitation, Walla reported.
Peres was taken to Sheba Medical Center on Tuesday after telling his doctor that he felt weak. He had a pacemaker implanted had a week prior.
Peres was diagnosed in July with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. In January, the veteran statesman had a heart attack and then cardiac angioplasty to open a blocked artery. He was hospitalized twice more with chest pains.
Peres’ office said in a weekend statement that Pope Francis had sent wishes for a full recovery to Peres and his family. The pope held a special prayer for Peres’ health with his old friend Rabbi Abraham Skorka of Argentina. Peres and Francis last met at the Vatican two months ago.
According to Peres’ office, U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump sent a personal letter to Peres in which he wrote: “Melania and I join well-wishers from around the globe in wishing you a swift recovery. You are among the last of a generation of leaders who fought for the right of the Jewish people to shape their own destiny and your legacy stands tall.”
Current Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Saturday night visited Sheba and spent time with Peres’ family.
“About an hour ago, Shabbat left, and it certainly carried with it many prayers for the recovery of Shimon Peres,” said Rivlin, according to Ynet. “He has such a presence. He’s a man who is in every place in the country and involved in every matter. I came to support the family. All of us hope that we’ll see the ninth president get better.”
“There’s no greater fighter than Shimon Peres — if it depends on him, he will win,” Rivlin told reporters.
