A month and 13 days after she was admitted to the Apollo hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s aides are hopeful that she would shifted from the Critical Care Unit (CCU) to a normal room next week.
Meanwhile, Apollo Hospital Chairman Pratap Reddy on Friday told the media that the Chief Minister has completely recovered and "understands what is going on around her." He also added that she asks and demands what she wants and said, "it won't be too long before she sees all of you."
Pratap Reddy also noted that it was a combined effort by the team of doctors managing the CM's health, together with the prayers of millions of people across the country that has made her recovery possible. With regard to when Jayalalithaa will be discharged from hospital, he said, "When she will come home, all is dependent on her now. The decision will be made by her on when she will go home."
A source said that since the Chief Minister has made "considerable improvement’ in the past few days, they were awaiting doctors" nod for her to be shifted to a normal room in the hospital.
However, she is unlikely to be discharged soon as the CM would require more treatment and therapy.
TNM has also learnt that Chief Minister has been off sedation for some days and dieticians are trying to bring her back to a normal diet.
The Hindu reported that she was conscious, and ‘even wrote down her own menu and is eating her food, and not being fed through a tube’.
IANS reported an AIADMK leader’s statement that the CM will soon be moved out of the critical care care unit (CCU) to a private room.
"The lung infection is under control. She has passed the critical stage. The respiratory system is being weaned away. It is being used on and off," senior AIADMK leader and spokesperson C Ponnaiyan told IANS.
Ponnaiyan said for in the past one week Jayalalithaa was having semi solid food. She was also talking to people now.
The 68-year-old was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals with fever and dehydration on September 22.
Doctors later said she needed a longer stay at the hospital as she had infection and was put on respiratory support.
According to Apollo, a team of specialists like cardiologists, respiratory physicians, consultants for infectious diseases, diabetologist and endocrinologist was treating Jayalalithaa.
In its medical bulletin issued on October 21, Apollo Hospitals said Jayalalithaa "is interacting (with people) and progressing gradually".
According to Ponnaiyan, it is for the doctors to decide when Jayalalithaa could be discharged.
"Her health condition has improved now. The remaining health issues can be addressed while she is in a room or even at her residence," Ponnaiyan added.
He said Jayalalithaa was suffering from acute lung infection which in turn aggravated the problem.
She was suffering from high fever for nearly 18 days at the hospital due to the infection.
"The fever was brought down by appropriate medication," Ponnaiyan added.
(With IANS inputs)