I'm betting they were waiting for Gabby Gifford's husband

[malaise]

to arrive at the hospital. A point blank range shot through the head leaves very little room for the optimism that is omnipresent.

Good luck Gabby but I'm not as hopeful.

[Lint Head]

1. Brain swelling is the thing I believe they are watching.

[Dennis Donovan]

2. Her surgeon said he's optimistic...

...so, I guess, I am, too. :hi:

[malaise]

3. No he said he's as optimistic as he could be

under the circumstances.

[LisaL]

5. Which clearly doesn't suggest they are waiting for a husband

to pull the plug.

[malaise]

7. All I know is that she is in a critical condition

and we knew someone was going to be a victim of all this RW bullshit.

[LisaL]

4. Not true.

I heard the surgeon say they are optimistic.

[2QT2BSTR8]

6. Did anyone catch Obama's flub?

In his address to the nation, he referred to her in the past tense. Personally I think he already knows.

[malaise]

15. Yep and everyone was wearing black

:cry:

[Tx4obama]

18. Nah...what I think is...

that his statement was written when everyone thought that she had died, then they revised the speech and missed that one 'was'.
The rest of the speech referred to her as being alive with the word 'is'.

[EFerrari]

8. She's only 40. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. She was answering commands

before going to the OR, and talking.

Believe it or not some head injuries are survivable.

Right now they will probably do the ICP (intracranial Pressure Monitor), drugs, heavy sedation and monitor for brain swelling.

The next 24-48 hours are essential.

[ZombieHorde]

10. So horrible. nt

[MuseRider]

12. I hope they induce a coma

as my biggest fear here would be herniation. However not knowing anything about this injury I am just basing all of this on my past experiences dealing with brain injury.

We can hope, I am very worried but then I have seen patients on harvest protocol wake up and be pretty OK. You just never know, even if you are there.

[NotThisTime]

13. I believe they have, they keep indicating she is under anaesthesia still...

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. I would not be too shocked if they do either

it is kind of like standard with very few exceptions.

[DesertRat]

11. The surgeon said he's very optimistic.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is out of surgery and one of her surgeons said "I'm very optimistic about her recovery."

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/01/08/20110108arizona-giffords-brk.html#ixzz1AU8GvpDz

[Dappleganger]

16. Swelling/additional bleeding can complicate everything.

There's a good chance things will get worse. :(

[malaise]

17. Luke Russert just said the last time a Congressperson

was assassinated was 1978 - that was in Guyana - Jonestown.

[TBF]

19. He had to fly from Houston so that took a bit of time -

that was announced on the Chron this afternoon. Really pulling for her but I fear you're right.

[CreekDog]

20. the word "optimistic" wouldn't have crossed his lips at all if they were just waiting for her to die

no, the OP is not a good one. the only way the OP makes sense is by disbelieving the statements of those closest to the situation and supplying the OP's observations for all of theirs.