Friend: Giffords' personality 'starting to shine through'

[babsbunny]

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/11/friend-giffords-personality-starting-to-shine-through/

Friend: Giffords' personality 'starting to shine through'

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ personality “is really starting to shine through,” says Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who visited her friend and colleague at a Houston rehabilitation hospital last week.

“There’s been so much progress made in the month since I’ve seen her,” Wasserman Schultz said. “She’s so much more interactive and responsive.”

Doctors at The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research in Houston said Friday at a news conference that Giffords has been speaking in full sentences and is able to walk with assistance.

[virgogal]

1. This is so sad. I doubt that she will ever be her old self but I hope

she can have a happy life.

[SoCalDem]

2. Agree.. Friends & family are always "overly eager" to see progress

She will reach a plateau at some point, ans they will have to get to know the "new" Gabrielle. Some of her old self may be there, but she will also be different, and she may never remember how she used to be..

I had a friend who had brain cancer, and after surgery, she did not even know her children.. We would sit with her for hours & show her pictures, and before she died (6 months after that) she struggled every day to try to remember things, often lying to us (we suspected), because she was just so tired of being reminded:(

[virgogal]

4. How sad about your friend. May she RIP.

[hlthe2b]

3. I wouldn't wish such tragedy on anyone...

But, I would be less than honest in feeling the unfairness and the tragedy far more, knowing it was someone kind, compassionate and dedicated like Giffords. When one looks at even some of her Congressional colleagues--many that do not share her dedication of service to others but are there for their own benefit and agenda... Well, it just makes it doubly cruel that it was Giffords.

Her progress is real and very important, but I hope the reporting on her in more real terms, serves to tamp down some of the very unrealistic impressions about her recovery--that she'd be back to congress by now--that she'd be launching a concurrent run for Kyle's seat in the Senate without missing a beat. Who knows how far she will progress and how much will be possible, but it clearly is a marathon and not a sprint to that goal. I welcome hearing about it, but know to be patient.