President Obama also delivered miraculous news at tonights memorial: that U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, 40, who received a bullet wound to the head that traveled the length of her brain on the left side, “has opened her eyes for the first time.” He repeated the statement several times, as if to let its significance about her condition sink in.
The President added that, no matter how long it may take, the country will be with Giffords “every step of the way” as she makes her recovery. “She knows we are here, she knows we love her and she knows we are rooting for her,” he said.
When the President made his announcement, all 14,000 people in the hall, including Michelle Obama, who held the arm of Giffords’s husband, NASA Shuttle Commander Mark Kelly, rose to their feet for a prolonged ovation. Most of them, including Mrs. Obama, also wiped away tears – a gesture repeated only moments later, when Kelly and Daniel Hernandez, the 20-year-old intern credited with saving the life of Rep. Giffords, embraced after the President’s introduction.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, all close friends of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, were in the hospital room with the Arizona Democrat when she opened her eyes for the first time since she was shot in the head Saturday during a rampage that killed six in Tucson, Ariz.
Obama, who visited the hospital Wednesday, was not in the room at the time.
He said Giffords’s husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, had given him permission to relay the latest positive sign of Giffords’s recovery.
(Source: Politico / Peoples Magzine)
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13 Responses
As a neurologist, I am relieved to learn that a bullet that reportedly “travelled the length of her brain on the left side” is now apparently able to open her eyes and may be awake.
It remains uncertain, however, if she will regain language and communication abilities–which are almost always located in the left hemisphere, i.e. the left side of her brain.
I doubt she will be able to return to her duties as a Member of Congress anytime in the next few years.
Leon Zacharowicz MD
Perhaps, (if all the critical areas are not seriously effected) even if the damage will effect her language and communication abilities, wouldn’t plasticity take effect allowing other areas of brain do those jobs?
This is not to argue that she will be able to return to congress in the near future as ‘plasticity’ does take therapy and time to take place. Is this correct?
During these troubling times when the big problems include psychopaths like Kim and Ahmadinejad and the small problems are mass foreclosures, it’s nice to know that our Commander-in-Chief has his eye on the ball and is entirely focused on the case of an already jailed shooter. We’re lucky to have such a smart man in charge of our security.
I do have one question, though: where is the birth certificate?
jumpin’ jehosepheth, he can cure the sick now!!!!
#3,
A verified copy was released to the public in June 2008.
#5charliehall: WRONG! a ‘Certificate of Live Birth’ was released NOT the actual birth certificate. The birth certificate would state the place of birth, the name of the hospital, etc… Despite the call for Obama to release a copy of his birth certificate, to date he has NOT.
What I’d like to see is for the leaders from all sides – the executive branch, Republican and Democratic leaders of both houses of Congress, maybe even a few prominent members of the judiciary – agree on a clear code of what is and is not within the bounds of acceptable political speech, and agree to enforce it and jointly condemn anyone who fails to abide by it.
Charlie Charlie Charlie, unlike any other President before him, the almighty one did NOT show a legal birth certificate. You leftist Obama lovers are still covering it up. If Obama wanted to and he CLEARLY DOESN’T, he would ask the Hawaii governor to release the REAL copy. So even IF he was born in Hawaii, there is SOMETHING he is hiding.
#6 truth,
I dug out my own birth certificate from the Commonweath of Pennsylvania. Like that of President Obama, it has the city and date of birth. Like that of President Obama, it lacks the name of the hospital. Unlike that of President Obama, it doesn’t even include my parents’ names! My birth certificate includes more information than does that of President Obama but it got me a passport, drivers’ license, voter registration, etc., etc. Get over it.
Hey ItsFunToBeBT,
I’m glad you’re having so much fun making sarcastic comments about a woman fighting for her life, and about the President sharing a small piece of good news about her condition. Keep having fun. The rest of us will keep praying for the families affected by this horrible tragedy.
Well Charles, mine from NY has ALL the info on it. Maybe his daddy aint his daddy v’hamayvin yovin?
charliehall, that’s fascinating.
Regarding President Obama: where’s the birth certificate?
AriInMD,
I did not make a sarcastic comment about a woman fighting for her life. Her situation is tragic, and it was not the subject of my comment no. 3. Rather, my comment sought to–and effectively did–change the topic of the conversation back to what it needs to be with respect to the President.
Her tragedy cannot be allowed to become his political cover.
Your prayer on behalf of her family is admirable.