According to an in-depth look at Giffords' extraordinary rehab in Sunday's Arizona Republic, she is eagerly anticipating the hoopla around the final launch of the shuttle Endeavour, commanded by her husband Mark Kelly.
When she overheard him talking about limiting her participation in pre-launch events, she balked.
"No," Gifford said. "Whole thing."
She'll watch from a private location - a NASA tradition to protect families from public scrutiny in case of tragedy.
Four months after she was shot through the head by a would-be assassin, the congresswoman's doctors told the Arizona Republic she is "maybe in the top 1% of patients in terms of how far she's come, and how quickly she's gotten there."
She still has trouble talking, but she's getting close to walking without help.
"When I tell her that she's not going to be in a wheelchair forever, she believes that," Kelly told the paper.
"Right now she gets up and takes a couple steps. I think she'll probably use a wheelchair for, I don't know, maybe another three months."
Her hair, shaved for brain surgery, has been growing back but still is only about 2 inches long. A thin scar across the top of her forehead is already fading, and apart from some swelling, her face looks the same, friends report.
You know I have been inspired by a lot of people in my life, but this woman is literally blowing me away.
If the next report about Giffords recovery stated that she was training for the 2012 Summer Olympics I am not sure I would find that at all unbelievable.
Some people are constantly telling you they are amazing. Others just prove it.
GREAT NEWS!! I wish her well in her recovery. True role model, plenty of courage and fight in one little woman.
ReplyDeleteHooray for Gabby, hopes and prayers for each new day to be a better day for her.
ReplyDeletePraying for the day that Gabby stands in front of a mike and says the following things -
1. Crosshairs
2. Sarah Palin
3. Blood libel
Gryphen, your last paragraph said it all.
ReplyDeleteNew post at Politico covering for screechy:
ReplyDeleteMission for anti-Palin movement: Expose her
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53641.html
Glad to see you're getting some recognition.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53641.html
I wish that they had included your web address but a simple goggle by those who want to know more should take care of that. I hope that this brings more web-traffic your way.
A neighbor of mine had a tumor near her speech center and after two years since removing the growth - she is still struggling with words. She's never been the same.
ReplyDeleteBut to hear of this woman's remarkable rebound, recovery and insistence that she be engaged in her husband's momentous occasions is humbling.
Some of us have watched Regarding Henry where Harrison Ford survives a gunshot wound to the head. Turning from a balls-to-the-wall, callous attorney to a soft and gentle husband and father with near child-like communication skills that people pitied.
I hope this isn't where she ends up after her rehab, where people treat her like a child.
As parents, sibling and families of special needs people typically experience with the public, survivors and differently advantaged individuals don't need our pity or visible discomfort. The care-givers and disabled people need to be treated like you'd treat any other stranger.
As talks of Trig become front and center again by the Palin supporters (since we are talking about Sarah's reckless behavior - not the baby himself) I'm glad more special needs families are striking out and expressing concern that Sarah Palin demonstrates very little of the challenges and 'joy' of parenting a DS child.
At the 2008 VP "Debate"
Ifill: Governor, you said in July that someone would have to explain to you exactly what it is the vice president does every day.
Palin: No, no. Of course, we know what a vice president does. And that's not only to preside over the Senate and will take that position very seriously also. I'm thankful the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate and making sure that we are supportive of the president's policies and making sure too that our president understands what our strengths are. John McCain and I have had good conversations about where I would lead with his agenda. That is energy independence in America and reform of government over all, and then working with families of children with special needs. That's near and dear to my heart also. In those arenas, John McCain has already tapped me and said, that's where I want you, I want you to lead. I said, I can't wait to get and there go to work with you.
So, how's this progressing programs for families of special needs thingy working out for us America? Only if she won she'd be an advocate? Did her loss affect her ability to stick her nose in Special Needs programs and education? Oh, but she'll take her six-figure speaking gigs at DS fundraisers also too there.
It's great that MS Giffords is doing so well.
ReplyDeleteIt's also wonderful that she has the very best health care, therapy, drugs, nursing care and devoted physicians.
She's very lucky.
Most of us having a tragedy like this would never get the care she's getting because we aren't rich enough, don't have the incredible insurance that Gabby has, and we aren't famous. Maybe some day there will be health care for all in the USA. Believe me, I don't envy her situation, but it's sad that if I got shot, I'd have to pay 100% out of pocket for everything, having no insurance
I hope that when she returns to the House of Representatives that she gets a standing ovation.
I'm not holding my breath though, with people like Joe Wilson and Virginia Foxx and their politics of division, christian supremacy, and hate.
That is Fantastic New!!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy she is doing remarkably well.
What an amazing recovery! I don't always know if people realize how life changing a traumatic brain injury can be, but Gabby's recovery is beyond amazing. I hope she continues to heal at such a rapid pace. I am glad she will be able to see her husband Mark off on his shuttle flight. What an amazing couple.
ReplyDeleteThough I still fear for her safety and hope she rethinks keeping Arizona as her residence. Please consider ANY blue state Gabby, where your work can be appreciated and your safety assured.
No tweets from Scarah on this amazing news? Since Scarah's hate rhetoric caused this I would think she would at least tweet about it.
You know I have been inspired by a lot of people in my life, but this woman is literally blowing me away.
ReplyDeleteFiguratively blowing you away, I wouldn't doubt.
But "literally" is not a synonym for "emphatically"—it means that something really happened as described, without any metaphor, figure of speech, analogy, or any other departure from the straightforward basic meaning of the words employed.
To "literally" blow you away, she would have to use a large fan, explosives, or some other method to send wind or a shock wave in your direction, moving your body some measurable number of feet—or miles.
This is one of my pet peeves, which I would have kept to myself, except that your English is generally so good I hate to see a gaffe like this.
When they didn't replace her in the House of Representatives, I thought they were just being kind. Well, I was wrong. I don't know if she has any cognitive effects lingering, but now I have no doubt she will be back serving the people of her district. What a lady!!
ReplyDeleteWas just up at Kennedy Space Center this weekend and Endeavor is up on launchpad 39A. Launch is scheduled for about 3:45 pm this Friday 4/29.
ReplyDeleteI hope Americans (and others but especially Americans) take time off Royal Wedding Watching and Fawning, and pay attention to the true American Love Story playing out between two incredible American heros - Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly.
Go, Gabby!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for her and her family! Rep. Giffords is an example of a strong woman, because of how she has dealt with this adversity. She is all that Sarah Palin only pretends to be and wishes she was.
ReplyDelete