Posted on 03/11/2011 12:26:02 PM PST by Suz in AZ
Two months after suffering a bullet to the brain in an assassination attempt, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, R-Ariz., is responding beautifully already speaking in full sentences, her doctors said in a press conference Friday at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, where Giffords is undergoing rehabilitation.
Still, they said, the congresswoman has no memory of the event in Tucson that almost took her life.
Her memories of childhood and past years are all normal, the medical team said. But she does not have memories of the event, which is normal. Doctors said her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, told her about the shooting.
Ultimately, they said, they do not anticipate any memory problems.
Other improvements include walking with assistance and speechShe can repeat anything we say to her, which is an important neurological recovery fact, said Dr. Dong Kim, director of the hospitals neuroscience department. Shes already speaking full sentences when she wants something, like Im tired and want to go to bed.
The doctors said that unlike with many patients, they feel like we know her very well because her personality is showing throughshes very upbeat and focused on getting better. One example, Director of Neurocritical Care Dr. Imoigele Aisiku said, was when she gave a very favorable pump-fist response when her breathing tube came out.
Though doctors dont expect to reattach Giffords skull until May, theres a good possibility Giffords will be able to achieve her goal of attending Aprils space shuttle launch, which her husband will command.
Glad to know she is recovering but April 8th will mark 3 months not in Congress. I'm wondering if Gov. Brewer will declare the seat vacant and call a special election at that time. She can't continue to serve in this shape and we need a rep.
I’m getting a little aggravated at the “media” for making the Shuttle Endeavor launch all about “Gaby”. It’s really starting to **** me off! I don’t care if she’s going to be there or not! It’s a shuttle launch. It shouldn’t be all about “Gaby”.
Glad to hear about her recovery. It’s probably best that she DOESN’T remember the shooting.
A Governor can’t declare a seat vacant, only the U.S. House can do that. She really should resign and focus on regaining her health. When she recovers, she can always run for the seat at a future date.
“A Governor cant declare a seat vacant”
According to what I have seen, AZ state law allows the Gov. to do it if a rep is unable to do their job for over 3 months.
You know it’s a really serious injury when...
“...doctors dont expect to reattach Giffords skull until May...”
She IS a Dem! I didn’t catch that typo. Good eyes!
...doctors dont expect to reattach Giffords skull until May...
*****
I thought the same thing... I read this somewhere else too, indicating she's got a long way to go...
Friends and family have described Giffords as making steady progress, showing emotion on various occasions, singing "American Pie" with her stepdaughters as part of music therapy and pushing a shopping cart down the hospital corridors as she regains her walking abilities.
Rabbi David Lyon, senior rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel in Houston, visits Giffords three times a week and says her speech has improved. "There are words that are becoming clearer and opportunities to communicate are increasing," Lyon told The Associated Press.
Giffords was shot in the left hemisphere of her brain, which controls communication. There had been concerns that she could have problems with speech, and it remains unclear what, if any, impediments remain and what could be permanent.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42018003/ns/technology_and_science-space/
She wasn’t even close to being conservative.
That is better than most of the gutter trash that invaded the Wisconsin capitol last week.
There’s pretty strong precedent for injured/ill members of Congress retaining their seats.
In addition to Tim Johnson a few years ago, I can recall as far back as Charles Sumner:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Sumner#Antebellum_career_and_attack_by_Preston_Brooks
Who stayed away from the Senate for three years after he was severely injured. Others that come to the top of my head would include Joe Biden in 1988.
It would be really bad form - and bad PR - to attempt anything of the sort.
The left considered her conservative though. The hate against her on DailyKos was harsh.
She is-shocking an error in the paper
Kennedy and Byrd were both absent far more than they were present the last year or so of their lives. There ought to be an amendment allowing for the removal of a gravely ill (or injured) representative or senator should they be unable to perform their duties on a daily basis for an extended period of time.
And while we are at it, make it unconstitutional for a sitting representative or senator to seek election of any seat other than they one they are currently holding. I am sick of sitting senators and representatives being paid to run for office while they ignore the people they were elected to represent.
And if a dead Democrat gets elected, the spouse serves.
She might rely on Pelosi to tell her how to vote on each bill but should she get caught at that, a big stink would follow. It also means she could NOT be interviewed by anyone on CNN or FNS or NBC etc.
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