for the first time today, Gabrielle Giffords actually stood. With help of course But She Stood Up....
Dr Rhee, her main trauma physician and the head of our Trauma Unit, says she will regain almost all function and feels she will be able to return to a normal life by using workarounds for function that doesn't return on its own.
This has been an absolutely amazingly quick recovery to be at the point she is now...
After standing, she sat in a chair by the window so she could look at the mountains...
It looks like she will be leaving the hospital soon for rehab in Houston at TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital which in addition to being close to Tucson for her parents and Houston is where her husband Mark needs to be for his training for the possible shuttle command.....They're trying for Friday but it depends on her condition and Dr. Rhee will accompany her and hand her off to the rehab specialists personally....
Wouldn't it be great if she improved to the point that he can actually command that last shuttle flight.....
sorry for the short diary but wanted to get the good news out....
Link to very complete local coverage....
Also the last of the other victims was released today so it's to Gabby now and from the reports, she's doing great
More good news, she is able to perform even more complex actions now
Rep. Giffords continues to demonstrate complex actions. Her parents shared a story of the congresswoman untying her husband's tie and unbuttoning his shirt after returning to UMC from a memorial service.
Giffords was looking at some cards grade schoolers had sent. Her eye was tracking the lines of written text. Her parents believe she was reading them.
http://www.kold.com/...
More good news Az. republicans have no plans to attempt to fill her seat though legally able to after 90 days.....
"We've deemed it to be far too early and entirely inappropriate to speculate, analyze or consider," said Paul Senseman, a Brewer spokesman.
The Times also reports that Flake said he's heard nothing about vacating the seat.
"Nobody is talking about that. I don't think they should at this point," he said. " I think the constituents will be OK."
Jesse Kelly, Giffords' opponent in November, also has not made any inquiries about the position.
http://www.kold.com/...
Loughner Indicted on three counts so far....
"Today, the Grand Jury returned an initial three-count indictment against Jared Lee Loughner in the Tucson shooting case. We are in the early stages of this ongoing investigation. We have made considerable progress in a short period of time," U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke said in a press release.
"This case also involves potential death-penalty charges, and Department rules require us to pursue a deliberate and thorough process. Today's charges are just the beginning of our legal action. We are working diligently to ensure that our investigation is thorough and that justice is done for the victims and their families."
http://www.kold.com/...
from the BBC via amk for Obama in the comments....
Gloria Giffords told friends in an e-mail that her daughter had scrolled through photographs on her husband's iPhone and had begun to look at "get well" cards and pages from a large-print book while in her hospital room, the New York Times reported.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/...
she's scrolling through an I phone...flat amazing.....