Giffords Not 'Fully Aware' of Shooting
CBS News reports:
It's been nearly six weeks since Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was seriously injured in a shooting rampage in Tucson, Ariz. While those close to her say her recovery is nothing short of remarkable, doctors say she still has a long way to go.
For the past month, Giffords (D, Ariz.) has been undergoing intense physical therapy at a rehabilitation center in Houston, gaining the ability, not only to speak, but to interact with her family and friends.
In an "Early Show" interview, Pia Carusone, Giffords' chief of staff, said the congresswoman isn't fully aware of what happened the day in early January suspected gunman Jared Loughner allegedly opened fire on a crowd gathered for her political event.
Carusone said, "She certainly knows that there's been a traumatic event here. The details of the severity of the injuries to the others, you know, she doesn't know yet about. But she will in time, when she's, you know, at a higher level of communication. Doctors have said it's not really fair, as you can imagine, to tell something so tragic to someone that might not have the ability to ask the detailed questions that someone will have when they hear this news."
CBS News correspondent Don Teague reported that, in the nearly six weeks since Giffords was shot, doctors have called her progress nothing short of remarkable. However, phyisicians caution the long-term damage is still difficult to measure.
Dr. Jonathan Fellus, a neurologist and neuro-rehab specialist, said, "The long-term issues are really going to be focused on language -- her communication abilities, reading, writing, and of course moving that right arm as well."But friends say these "long-term issues" are obstacles she is determined to overcome.
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