Doc said the surgery was like getting shot in the head, and looking at the reports of Gifford's wounds, maybe more traumatic than her’s. He did open his eye and move some a few days after the surgery.
But the biggest thing is that there will be some major effects of the wounds. In short, her brain wiring is going to be all messed for a long time. She might, might, be able to resume her duties in a year.
As long as her heart is beating and she can sit in a wheelchair the Democrats will have her voting even if she were braindead. Remember the last days of Robert Byrd?