Giffords Cleared for Rehab
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords has been transferred from a neurotrauma ICU to an inpatient Coach Outlet rehabilitation facility, two-and-a-half weeks after getting shot through the head at a public meeting. Giffords was discharged from University Medical Center in Tucson, Ariz., on Friday, and was flown to Houston to begin rehabilitation at The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR) in the Memorial Hermann healthcare system. However, posttraumatic hydrocephalus requiring placement of a temporary drain -- inserted while Giffords was still in Tucson -- prevented the move to the rehab facility and kept the congresswomanCheap Nike Shoes in intensive care at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. Doctors removed the drain on Monday night and upgraded Giffords' condition from serious to good last night, clearing the way for today's transition to TIRR Memorial Hermann. At a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, Gerard Francisco, MD, chief medical officer of the rehabilitation facility, said Giffords was already undergoing physical therapy and would undergo both occupational and speech therapy later in the day. Francisco said the therapists are focusing on conditioning, strength, range of motion, and balance, as well as measures to prevent the complications of being confined to a bed for long periods of time. The time spent actively doing rehabilitation has already been increased because of the progress Giffords has made, he said. Although Giffords still has the tracheostomy tube in place, the process to reduce the size of the tube and eventually remove it has begun.Coach Sale She is breathing on her own with no additional support. Another member of the medical team, neurosurgeon Dong Kim, MD, said the congresswoman is alert and aware of her surroundings and is making progress every day. "In terms of recovery for brain issues, this is really at lightning speed," Kim said.