Arroyo family celebrates Father's Day in hospital

The First Family on Sunday spent Father's Day in a hospital checking on the condition of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, who underwent a delicate spine surgery the day before, a television report said. In her report in GMA Network's "24 Oras," Claire Delfin quoted presidential son and outgoing Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo as saying that they now feel relieved although still a bit nervous after the successful operation on his father. He noted his father's pre-existing heart condition. The elder Arroyo has been confined at St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City since Thursday.

The family of outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was nevertheless thankful that the Mr. Arroyo is now in a stable condition. All immediate members of the Arroyo family, including the grandchildren, were in the hospital to celebrate Father's Day with the clan's patriarch. Doctors at St. Lukes said if Mr. Arroyo's recovery would continue, he would be be able to check out in five days, boosting the family's hopes that he would be able to celebrate his 64th birthday on June 27 at home. The spinal column surgery was aimed at relieving the back pains that Mr. Arroyo continues to experience due to a helicopter accident in 1994. He underwent a heart bypass surgery in April 2007 to repair a torn portion of his thoracic aorta. In March this year, however, the same section suffered another tear (re-dissection aortic aneurysm) and since then, Mr. Arroyo started his regular rehabilitation therapy. - Jerrie Abella/KBK, GMANews.TV