Giffords stands on her own feet today

[tabatha]

TUCSON - Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was able to stand on her own two feet today, with assistance, and UMC Dr. Peter Rhee confirms that "aggressive rehab" has already begun for the congresswoman recovering from a traumatic brain injury.

Earlier today, Giffords also sat in a chair and looked out at the Catalina Mountains from her hospital room, Dr. Rhee says.

Dr. Rhee would not confirm that Giffords will leave for TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital in Houston on Friday, but he says the transition from UMC to the next hospital will be seamless.

http://www.kvoa.com/news/giffords-stands-on-her-own-feet-today/

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. GREAT news!

[pinboy3niner]

2. That's fantastic!

[virgogal]

3. Unbelievable.

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4. I have no words

:cry:


:woohoo:

[Chorophyll]

5. So glad to hear this!

Thanks, Tabatha!

[PufPuf23]

6. This is remarkable!

I hope for her the best of recoverys and for sake of her and family hope the focus is on her comfort and happiness.

[Matariki]

7. Wow.

I really pray she will FULLY recover. Cognitive functions and speech at 100%.

Amazing.

[cascadiance]

10. A full recovery and a return to congress would be an ACE against the corporate media...

... and so many other forces aligned with the NRA to restore sanity to our culture of violence in this country. If we could have someone like her recovered fully with hopefully minimal scars, but enough to remind every one of those on Capital Hill the cost of our society breaking down every day she speaks, that would hopefully remind them every day of the mess our country is in each day and hopefully they start working for the little people again! Really hoping that she can be that voice and that she will feel along with the rest of the country rewarded by her abilities to work in the future then. It would be very hard for them to bury things like this to our "out of sight, out of mind" culture that persists now in our infotainment society.

[bobbolink]

18. That is her decision to make, not anyone else's. Only she knows what she can handle, and how she

wants to live her life.

[cascadiance]

21. It certainly is her choice, and wouldn't want her to feel forced to do so...

But that being said, IF she were able to recover as nicely as possible and have a reasonable life afterward AND wanted to pursue it, she could be such a powerful voice if she chose to do so, that would be hard for a Citizen United enabled Koch brother to shut down through campaign spending, etc. Perhaps that sense of independence might help her move more towards not being plagued by "obligations" to lobbyists like so many other pols have to deal with too.

[bobbolink]

25. I understand your scenario. I understand you want this to end up good for our side, and for the

country.

I understand ALL of that.

Being one of those people on the bottom of the ladder that others are always trying to manipulate because they "know what is best", I am very sensitive to any effort to figure out what others *should* do, when they might have their OWN agenda.

We have all heard that a brush with death, for instance, can change a person's whole outlook, and change their priorities. This might be happening to her right now, and also to her family. That must come first.

[cascadiance]

26. I think that you and I are in agreement...

I don't disagree that the choice is hers and have tried to emphasize that she shouldn't feel pressured in to doing so, especially by those in the party.

I'm just speculating on the power for good that she could have in congress that others as congresspeople couldn't have IF she wanted to pursue renewing her career there when the timing is appropriate. I think we can talk in speculative terms in that fashion, even if it never were to happen. At this point its probably way too premature though to guess whether she will be in any condition to make this happen, but I like the positive signs that keep happening. One can hope for both her future and our future!

[malaise]

8. The real problem will be learning to speak again

The Sawyer report on ABC news suggests that she will have to learn a few things from scratch.

She's very fit and she's fairly young so she may pull this off.

[bear425]

9. Depends on the area and the amount of brain damage.

In rehab, she will undergo intensive speech, physical and occupational therapy. It is amazing how the brain can recover with the right treatment. You're right about her fitness level being a plus. I/we hope she makes a full recovery.

[malaise]

11. I wish her all that is good

She's lucky that scumbag didn't destroy her sight.

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12. She is even more lucky that that scumbag didn't destroy her spirit.

To say that I am thrilled would be insulting via understatement.

[derby378]

13. I want Gabby to stare Looney Loughner down at his murder trial

That's one way to get him to wet himself in front of the TV cameras.

[PBS Poll-435]

15. I want her to ignore this jerk forever

And I pray that she will recover fully and hopefully spread her joy and passion on the House floor again. I don't think it is not appropriate for me to say what she would want, but I think she is just ready to get better and represent Southern Arizona again in our people's House.

[derby378]

23. I'm thinking of the EVER AFTER treatment, myself

"I want you to know that I will forget you after this moment, and never think of you again. But you, I am quite certain, will think about me every single day for the rest of your life."

[malaise]

17. You're so right

The sick fugg has never succeeded at a damn thing.

[Little Star]

14. Good news!!!!

[JuniperLea]

16. Chills! Head to toe chills in reading this!

What wonderful news!

[Swamp Rat]

19. Amazing!... Wonderful!!!

:bounce:

[LawnKorn]

20. K&R

[kayakjohnny]

22. Very uplifting! Wow!

That is a real bright spot on this day.

Thanks.

[Blue Owl]

24. meanwhile Palin's on her heels

:headbang: