US

Giffords Continues Progress, Stands Up In Another Recovery Milestone

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Less than two weeks after surviving a bullet through the brain, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords stood up and looked out the window of her hospital room Wednesday as she prepares to move to Houston to begin an arduous journey of intensive mental and physical rehabilitation.

Hospital spokeswoman Janet Stark said Giffords was able to stand on her feet with assistance from medical staff Wednesday in another significant milestone in her recovery.

The next step is extensive rehabilitation in which she will have to relearn how to think and plan. It’s unclear if she is able to speak or how well she can see. And while she is moving both arms and legs, it’s uncertain how much strength she has on her right side.

Her swift transition from an intensive care unit to a rehab center is based on the latest research, which shows the sooner rehab starts, the better patients recover.

Giffords’ family hopes to move the Arizona congresswoman on Friday to TIRR Memorial Hermann hospital in Houston, where her husband lives and works as an astronaut. The exact day of the move will depend on her health.

“I am extremely hopeful at the signs of recovery that my wife has made since the shooting,” Mark Kelly said in a statement released by Giffords’ congressional office. The staff at University Medical Center in Tucson “has stabilized her to the point of being ready to move to the rehabilitation phase.”

Giffords Continues Progress, Stands Up In Another Recovery Milestone

Dr. John Holcomb, retired Army colonel and a trauma surgeon at the Houston hospital, praised the care she received in Tucson and said Giffords would “move quickly toward a tailored and comprehensive rehab plan.”

Giffords was shot in the forehead Jan. 8 while meeting with constituents outside a grocery store in Tucson. She remains in serious condition. Her recovery has amazed her family and impressed her doctors, who say she is improving every day.

Over the weekend, Giffords was weaned off the ventilator and had her breathing tube replaced with a tracheotomy tube in her windpipe. Doctors also inserted a feeding tube to boost her calorie intake and repaired her right eye socket, which was damaged by the bullet.

Since being taken off sedation, Giffords has been alert and opening her eyes more often. She also started rigorous physical therapy, dangling her legs over her bedside to exercise her muscles and sitting in a chair for periods at a time. Kelly told ABC in an interview that she gave him a neck rub.

Still, the extent of her injuries and long-term prognosis won’t be known for some time.

The gunman shot 18 other people, killing six and wounding 12. All survivors have been released from hospitals, and doctors say the hospital is now no longer the best place for Giffords.

“When she’s medically stable, there’s really no reason to keep her there,” where she could get infections and other complications long known to plague patients with long hospital stays, said Dr. Steve Williams, rehab chief at Boston Medical Center and the Boston University School of Medicine.

“Over the last five to 10 years, there has been a big push to getting patients rapidly to rehab,” because research shows they recover faster and better the earlier therapy starts, he said.

Giffords will likely be moved to Houston by Medevac jet, Williams said, and there is little risk of a brain injury from flying. Since part of her skull has been removed, there is less pressure on the brain, and there has been no problem with swelling during her recovery. During rehab, she will probably wear a helmet.

Once she arrives in Houston, doctors will do a complete assessment of what Giffords can and cannot do, said Dr. Reid Thompson, neurosurgery chief at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

“The rehab is going to be pretty intense for her, both cognitively and physically,” because she’ll need to recover frontal lobe functions, Thompson said. “She’s going to have to relearn how to think, plan, organize.”

A penetrating brain injury like a bullet wound leaves a specific path of damage. Giffords’ wound path appears to be below the motor cortex, which controls movement, but may include an area controlling speech, Williams said.

He is not involved in Giffords’ care and based his comments on diagrams and reports of her injury that have been made public so far.

“One of the questions is whether she’ll be able to speak,” Williams said. Giffords has a breathing tube now, and even if this impedes her speech, she might be able to mouth words.

“That would be a good indication that she at least is able to express herself,” Williams said.

“The cognitive ability and the speech are the key things,” he said. “We know that she’s moving her limbs. The question is, how strong is she.”

Giffords’ family considered rehab centers in Washington, New York, Chicago and Houston, doctors said. The Houston one “has a national reputation for treating serious penetrating brain injuries and is also in a community where I have family and a strong support network,” Kelly’s statement said.

He is scheduled to command NASA’s last space shuttle flight in April, but that’s uncertain now.

TIRR Memorial Hermann is a 116-bed rehab facility that is part of the Texas Medical Center in Houston. TIRR, which stands for The Institute for Research and Rehabilitation, claims to have the largest research program on recovery from traumatic brain injury in the world, and gets federal funding for long-term study of such patients.

One of its success stories is Buffalo Bills’ tight end Kevin Everett, treated after a life-threatening spinal cord injury in 2007. Everett was paralyzed from the neck down when he arrived at the rehab center in September 2007; now he can walk.

Remarkably, Giffords may not spend much time at TIRR. She will probably spend just five to eight weeks at the rehab center, then continue getting therapy as an outpatient, Williams said.

“Her early recovery is very promising,” and bodes well for further improvement, he said.

Comments (62)

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  • dizzyinthedark
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:53am

    Agree with Joan K here Mrs. Gifford’s healing will be long, tedious, and exhausting–literally. She will come to know what ‘brain fatigue’ is all about. Five years out for me and I still suffer from this. I am amazed at her progress so far–truly amazed–miracle! God bless her.

    Her husband is in for an ‘eye opener’ here as this is the toughest part of her recovery. He needs to reach out to those with TBI’s so he can educate himself as to just what she will be feeling/experiencing in her day-to-day recovery. This will help Gabby so much if he can understand a little of the enormity of the storm that rages inside her brain trying to put the pieces back together.

    People ask how you are doing and you respond honestly. Once again everyone will try to be nice by telling her how great she looks and how great she is doing, all the progress she is making. This frustrated me to no end as it told me they didn’t understand, or truly weren’t interested so I stopped responding honestly and kept to myself. She will want her old self back the way it was, it will be hard to get used to ‘the new her’. The hidden disability is the worst. May God show her the ‘new her’ is just as wonderful.

    I will be watching her progress closely and wonder where she will be in 6 months.

    Report Post » dizzyinthedark  
  • clinicalminded
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:31am

    Without question they will exploit her for as long as they can. While God is blessing her recovery, the devils are rubbing their hands together looking for another together we strive rally and more marxist legislation oh sorry, ‘regulation.’

    Report Post »  
    • middleclassprophet
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:48am

      -clinicalminded-

      Those types of comments are totally unnecessary.

      Report Post » middleclassprophet  
    • Ramv36
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 9:29pm

      -clinicalminded-
      -middleclassprophet-

      I agree with both of your posts.

      Report Post »  
  • Tickdog
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:57am

    Wow that is amazing.. good for her and her husband!

    Report Post » Tickdog  
  • Dcoursey86
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 7:28am

    I commend everyone here for not talking politics on this subject. God Bless Gabrielle and all the others affected by this tragedy. Her recovery has been amazing and we can only hope that it continues along the path that it is so thankfully on.

    Report Post » Dcoursey86  
  • cykonas
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:09am

    God Speed in your recovery Representative Giffords.

    Report Post » cykonas  
  • Slowman101
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 5:44am

    God Bless her and her family. Now, I say we fry the stupid ***** that shot her. Forget 20 years of appeals, when he is found guilty, hook him up and fry his ass.

    Report Post »  
  • conservativeBC
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 3:56am

    Gov of Hawaii Miraculously Finds a Handwritten Birth Certificate of Obama

    From out of nowhere, the Gov. of Hawaii claims he found an archived handwritten birth certificate of Obama.

    http://conservativeblogscentral.blogspot.com/2011/01/gov-of-hawaii-miraculously-finds.html

    Report Post » conservativeBC  
  • wildbillsooner74
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 3:49am

    I wish her Gods Speed! May God Protect Her and Watch Over Her! She is one tough lady! God Bless Her!

    Report Post »  
  • Center right
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 3:17am

    One has to love Blaze for bringing us stories that no one else does. I love this site.

    Please support My new Blog called Freedom Apparatus. I am a Journalism and Mass Communication Major and a Political Science and Government minor, and I also believe that we do not have enough Fiscal Conservastive Journalism in the press (believe me, it is true) and I think we need more. I am still in my first year, but figured that I should get a start now. Thank you, and God Bless you all.
    Freedom Apparatus—
    http://tbladel.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/sarah-palin-the-liberal-boogieman/

    Report Post » Center right  
  • My 2 cents
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 1:45am

    I love reading these encouraging updates. Ms. Giffords is an inspiration. For her to have so much evil heaped upon her and yet she refuses to give up is truly amazing.

    Report Post »  
  • bullcrapbuster
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 1:30am

    Go girl! lots of people are praying for a full recovery.

    Report Post » bullcrapbuster  
  • joan k
    Posted on January 20, 2011 at 12:13am

    Having worked with brain-damaged individuals I can say she IS showing great progress. However, it will take at least 6 months or so to see how extensive her cognitive damage is.

    There are so many other ssues besides just being able to see, talk, and walk. These are basic “functional” behaviors that involve motor skills.

    It is still too hard to believe she would be able to return to Congress as much as I would love to see her back there. There can be many cognitive issues from the injury she received. I doubt she will be completely healed up from where she was before bc of the damage her brain had to have sustained from a bullet passing directly front to back of her head. Many of these problems will be cognitive issues.

    Cognitive issues can run the gamut from being able to plan and organize and sequence a basic task such as putting flowers in a vase, recognizing the printed word AND being able to comprehend speech and printed meanings, money handling, and being able to add and subtract, and being able to monitor behavior and speech (judgement issues), in addition there can be all kinds of memory issues… short term, being able to new learning, etc. And many individuals fatique easier when concentrating. There could also be visual perceptual difficulties.

    She has made substantial progress but she still has a LONG LONG way to go. My heart goes out to her family and friends and hope and pray that she heals up better than anyone would expect.

    Report Post » joan k  
  • Diane TX
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:48pm

    I hope that she makes rapid progress and can have a normal life once again. What Loughner did to her was so senseless.

    Report Post »  
    • walkwithme1966
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 12:28am

      What a remarkable story – it is amazing that she is so far in her recovery. They have learned great things in Iraq about brain injuries and the quickest ways to treat them and those methods were used with Gabby. I pray she continues to heal and her time in rehab is indeed short also.
      http://wp.me/pYLB7-wA.

      Report Post » walkwithme1966  
    • walkwithme1966
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 12:28am

      What a remarkable story – it is amazing that she is so far in her recovery. They have learned great things in Iraq about brain injuries and the quickest ways to treat them and those methods were used with Gabby. I pray she continues to heal and her time in rehab is indeed short also.
      http://wp.me/pYLB7-wA.

      Report Post » walkwithme1966  
  • the hawk
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:42pm

    This Story Keeps Making My Day! Keep It Up Gabby!
    God Bless You!……………………………

    Report Post »  
  • Showtime
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:39pm

    Everyone is praying for a COMPLETE recovery! She is a remarkable lady, and she has a wonderful husband. He has been right by her side virtually the whole time.

    Report Post » Showtime  
  • TJexcite
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:39pm

    The shooter will still get the neddle for killing hero Judge John Rolls and people will not know why because the judge is an unsung hero/victim

    Report Post » TJexcite  
  • SilentReader
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:34pm

    This is amazing news! Truly it is.

    I wish Congresswoman Giffords and her family well and I will pray for her full recovery.

    God bless.

    Report Post » SilentReader  
  • neverending
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:32pm

    God answers prayers and she certainly has had and probably will have many prayers for a very long time. Don’t agree with her on anything but she certainly did not deserve this. Nobody in this horrible tragedy deserved having their hearts and lives torn apart.

    Report Post »  
  • DVT
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:24pm

    Outstanding! Hope she continues her swift recovery!

    Report Post »  
  • exliberalgrl
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:23pm

    Wonderful! Still praying for you Gabbie!

    Report Post » exliberalgrl  
  • Whostolemypig
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:20pm

    Gilffords is a strong woman making amazing progress. I hope that the press will be considerate and give her the space to deal with all she has in front of her. Now is the time for her family, not news crews.

    Report Post »  
  • voiceofsanity
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:19pm

    Amen, God has a purpose for this woman.

    Report Post » voiceofsanity  
  • BoilitDown
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:18pm

    Let’s pray for the miracle of a record breaking recovery. Never underestimate the power of prayer.

    Report Post »  
  • DashRipRock
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:15pm

    Well we do have the best and biggest medical center in the world

    Report Post »  
    • GeauxAlready
      Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:31pm

      Dash did you play in a band?

      Standing up! Keep going girl…………………

      Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • RobertCA
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:25am

      Not according to Micheal Moore .
      Good recovery for Giffords .

      Report Post » Robert-CA  
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:10pm

    This is amazing news! Thank God for this miracle. All the right people were where they were needed at the right time. I pray for a quick & complete recovery for her & everyone else who was shot by this creep.

    Report Post »  
    • TruthTalker
      Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:18pm

      A miracle. Don’t believe in miracles? Then explain this.

      Report Post »  
    • click4cheapandeasyweb
      Posted on January 19, 2011 at 11:58pm

      She must be strong woman. I don’t know if she is a religious person but I think God is wanting her to do more. Her husband says he is going to convince her to get out of politics, but my gut tells me she won’t listen to him.

      Whatever she decides is ok with me. I’m just glad she is recovering at an amazing pace for someone who had a bullet go through their brain. I wish her well.

      Report Post »  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 12:15am

      My mother hates me to say it but Praise the Lord!!!! (Fortunately she lives in way down in Florida and doesn’t know how to use a computer).

      Report Post »  
    • TruthTalker
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 12:29am

      I will pray for your mother sparky.

      Report Post »  
    • anOpinion
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 2:44am

      I just want to give my best wishes to her and her family, and hope for continued good news on her progress.

      Report Post » anOpinion  
    • staythecourse
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 3:19am

      My prayers are with her and her family.

      I do, also want to make a point regarding something I have been noticing more and more. I ask that everyone else begin to pay attention to. Begin to pay attention to headlines, bylines and advertising slogans. I‘m finding I’m really surprised at just how often “progressive” and “progressing” is repeatedly used over and over and over and over again. Coincidence….or subtle messaging?

      Report Post »  
    • Marcobob69
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 8:00am

      Who says miracles can’t happen(other than the atheists)!!! It’s very heartening to see the progress Rep. Giffords is making, I sure hope she can get back to a productive, full life after her horrific assault by the madman Loughner! You go, girl!!!

      Report Post »  
    • JaneDo
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 6:35pm

      I’ll explain: It didn’t happen!

      Report Post »  
    • My Sacred Honor
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 10:41pm

      God love and keep you, Rep. Giffords! I pray you come back in full, ready to assume your office where it was left! good luck and speedy recovery!

      Report Post » My Sacred Honor  
    • GONESURFING
      Posted on January 20, 2011 at 11:34pm

      Best wishes and God speed. Yes, our prayers do make a difference.

      Report Post » GONESURFING  
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