I'm happy for Rep. Giffords, but it must be asked if she handle the work her office demands.

[LLStarks]

I don't care if you guys get angry like you always do when this comes up, you're just avoiding reality.

Regardless of how well her recovery is going, AZ-8 deserves to know whether they'll have a functioning representative before January 2013.

And by functioning, I don't mean meeting constituents or doing events, I mean the meet and potatoes of being a congressman: reading bills, debating bills, and representing the district on the floor. If she can do these things verbally, on paper, or through an assistive technology, that's fine. But everything I've read so far suggests that she won't progress much further than the simple vocal utterances and gestures that she is currently capable of.

Her office staff can't do any of those things even on her behalf while she's rehabilitating.

It's not about getting back her vote in congress or feeling good about how she's still in office. Congress is serious business and it should be treated as such.

[Ptah]

1. This CD8 voter is happy for her to make the decision on her schedule.

[Warpy]

2. She will need to lean on her staff a lot for the first six months or so

especially regarding things that her short term memory used to take care of, but her recovery should get her to within about 95% of what she had before the shooting.

You seem to have no idea what intensive rehab can accomplish.

[Obamanaut]

9. Good response. Miz O had a brain injury about 5 years ago. It was about three

weeks before she could remember my name - she knew I was her husband, but the name just wouldn't come out.

With rehab, she relearned walking and reading. Lots of puzzle work on the internet and in books, lots of walking around the yard with me holding her belt while she worked on balance be leaning over to pick up pine cones.

It took about a year to get back to the 90 - 95 % that the rehab hospital predicted, but she did get back.

For anyone who seems to want to write of Ms Giffords, I say 'shame on them"

edited to change 'shame on you' to 'them' because I wanted to make it clear I knew it wasn't you.

[Joe the Revelator]

23. What are you basing your 95% recovery on?

[Warpy]

36. 25 years of experience, most of it with head injured adults.

Non lethal gunshots have one of the best recovery rates.

Cerebral hemorrhage of any origin has one of the worst.

[Joe the Revelator]

64. Thanks, but have you ever examined Giffords? Have you reviewed her actual medical records?

Time in a field is great and all, but your statement is far from factual.

[Warpy]

74. I've read descriptions of the bullet's path and of her injuries, yes

and similar injuries have resulted in the patient regaining about 95% of baseline with intensive therapy.

So back off, Bucko.

[Joe the Revelator]

78. No, this is no different then pseudo doctors diagnosing Terry Schivo from the floors of congress

You have utterly know way of knowing what you're talking about in regards to this particular case and you breed false hope by throwing around arbitrary numbers not backed up with applicable facts. Bucko.

[Warpy]

80. His was an uneducated guess because it was out of his field

whereas I saw Shiavo's father following her random gaze, not the other way around, and that was the best few seconds of film they got out of hours of filming.

You see, the operative words are "educated opinion, which mine is and yours is not.

And now this pissing contest is over. Go find a tree.

[Joe the Revelator]

81. I don't have an opinion, other then you tried to say with certainty....

...a prognosis you could in no way be sure of.

[CreekDog]

3. predictable

:rofl: :eyes:

[hlthe2b]

6. Apparently, it is DUers from NY and not her AZ constiutency...

that get to decide what happens and when her absence is inappropriate... :shrug:

[TexasProgresive]

20. And DUers from everywhere but NY get to decide Weiner's future.n/t

[hlthe2b]

22. Speak for yourself. I have long maintained it should be up to

Weiner and his constituency, so sorry, but that's a big FAIL.

[TexasProgresive]

32. My post was in support of yours- sorry if you don't see it that way n/t

[hlthe2b]

35. Sorry 'bout that....

I read your post, still pent up from someone else's unfair accusation earlier, so I'm afraid I was on a short fuse. Mea culpa. ;)

[TexasProgresive]

49. I knew it had to be something like that.

I wasn't looking for an apology I just was a bit confused.

[Zoeisright]

8. Plus one million.

[hlthe2b]

4. The other Congressman in neighboring district is helping...

Further, there is considerable precedent for this. VP Biden during his Senate time after his brain surgery...Senator Tim Johnson (SD) after his...Former Rep Kennedy (and many others like him) during their stays in rehab. Those just on the top of my head...

[Ptah]

5. P.S.

Quoting you: "But everything I've read so far suggests that
she won't progress much further than the simple vocal utterances
and gestures that she is currently capable of."

From
http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_8012052f-ce68-5773-a01e-b2a349f657a2.html

Gabrielle Giffords will never be the same. But this fact and the difficulty of her
life today does not mean she cannot return to Congress.

All it means for certain is that Giffords' life will be different from how it was -
and different from how she expected it to be. She will live with some level of disability,
and this is where we must expand our thinking beyond the all-or-nothing yardstick. A
person living with disabilities can be as productive, purposeful and integral as anyone else.

The undercurrent to some of the talk about Giffords' recovery, and her future in politics,
is, essentially, that if she's not able to speak as she did before, if she can't write as
she did before, if she can't walk as she did before, then she's unfit for her job.
These are all false assumptions.

--------

Perhaps you should read more.

[Obamanaut]

13. This Florida resident gives this response a +1. nt

[CreekDog]

16. How seriously should we take the OP when it says, "meet and potatoes"

and that's before he goes all Dr. Frist on us.

:eyes:

[Ptah]

18. Looks like a post-and-run.

:crazy:

[JuniperLea]

43. It got preemptive right off the bat... always a bad sign... a very bad sign...

"I don't care if you guys get angry like you always do when this comes up, you're just avoiding reality."

Anyone who doesn't agree with me is an idiot... that's how I read this personal attack on anyone who would disagree with this OP.

Meet and potatoes... Frist... yep.

[Zoeisright]

7. She should be given all the time in the world. Because THIS COUNTRY shot her.

The gun porn crowd, repukes screeching about "second amendment solutions", Sharron Angle, Sarah Palin and her fucking gun site marker map, and all the teabaggers. She gets to take all the time off she needs, PERIOD.

This country owes that to her.

[Dreamer Tatum]

10. Jared Loughner shot her, actually.

And his politics are murky, at best. So, fail.

[Tejas]

14. This. n/t

[cali]

15. this isn't about her. it's about the people of her district. period.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[baldguy]

82. +1000

[napi21]

11. I have enough confidence in Gabriel to know if she isn't capable of doing her job,

it will be HER who says to her constituents that she's sorry but they'll have to get someone else.

[Wait Wut]

48. Best response, yet.

I don't know her personally, but what I do know of her suggests she truly loves Arizona and will always do what's best for the state. If that means stepping down, I believe she will. It doesn't mean she'll disappear from our political scene completely.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[opihimoimoi]

17. Didn't we carry Thurmond for 56 years as he aged till 138 yrs old?

I'd say we give Gabby whatever it takes and let her make the decision...

[KittyWampus]

21. Was Thurmond even lucid towards the end?

[opihimoimoi]

31. If I recall, he was not a pretty picture..... it was sad...

[Blasphemer]

37. Not to mention our impaired President - St. Ronnie

I see no problem with allowing Representative Giffords time to recover. None of us really know what her progress is like. I am sure that when the time comes for her to make a decision, she and those close to her will make a sound one.

[Scuba]

19. Bush was Prez for eight years with less than half a brain. I'll take Gabby.

[jillan]

24. She just got shot in the head 5 months ago - give her time to heal.

[Liberal_in_LA]

45. +100

[ljm2002]

25. Are you a voter in her district?

If not, why is it important to you that the question be asked?

I'm sure that if the voters in her district feel it is an important question, they will ask it.

[Liberal_in_LA]

44. +1

[Bluebear]

26. "The meet and potatoes"??? Whatever.

[bluestate10]

61. "Meet" is for carnivores that are making the transition to veg-eaters.

"e" is farther along than "a".

[underseasurveyor]

27. Considering her recovery and the progress she's made thus far

I have no doubts of her ability to handle the job. She's smart and she's tough.

[proud patriot]

28. Good Grief

:think:

[Xithras]

30. If the people of AZ-8 want her to leave....

...they'll let us know. Until (and unless) that happens, our only job is to support her.

[TheManInTheMac]

33. She's a person of great moral character

and I'm sure she will do what's best for the country. Beyond that, it is up to her constituents and only her constituents to decide if she is able to do the job they hired her to do.

[Enrique]

34. i don't think members of Congress really "work"

in the way that you and I think of work.

I think they pretty much just show up, if they even do show up.

[MikeMc]

38. A serious point, but

Reagan was brain-dead since the '50s, and he served 2 terms. L'il bush was brain-dead since birth, and he served 2 terms. Palin is currently brain-dead -- whoops, she only served half a term.

[MikeMc]

39. Serious point, but

Reagan was brain-dead since the '50's, and he served 2 terms as Prez.
L'il bush was brain-dead since birth, and he served 2 terms as Prez.
Palin is currently brain-dead, and ... whoops, she only served a half-term. Nevermind.

[LanternWaste]

40. Have you called or contacted her office?

Have you called or contacted her office/staff? Have you asked any relevant personnel? Have you checked the short-term prognosis of her injuries? Have you checked the press releases from her office?

I imagine you may get some answers should you deign to try... :shrug:

[KamaAina]

41. Thank you for your concern.

:grr:

[Liberal_in_LA]

42. I have no problem with her having an extended sick time period to get better

so there!

[JuniperLea]

46. AA AAAIIIIIIIII IIIIEEEEEE EEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEE EE!!!

Thank you for your concern, and your theories on head injuries and the milk of human kindness.

:banghead:

[KamaAina]

47. Rep. James Langevin (D-RI02) is a quadriplegic.

They even had to revise the evacuation plan for the House to make sure he could get out.

[LLStarks]

50. So, it's okay to tell Weiner to resign, but I can't tell Giffords to resign?

Stop sending me hateful PMs.

[Warren Stupidity]

51. yes the two situations are so equivalent

seriously?

You are going THERE?

[LLStarks]

52. Yes I am. Because people brought up "bypassing the will of constituents". nt

[Obamanaut]

53. Weiner made a decision to do what he did to get embroiled in this

mess.

Ms Giffords was just standing there and this was thrust upon her.

That is the difference.

Having seen first hand how a fighting spirit, combined with a support system, can do great things with a brain injury, I'd say let her decide. She will know.

[dionysus]

54. well, you kindaput yourself up for the Callous OP of the Day award....

[Broderick]

55. I am stunned

by the lack of humanity in what you just posted as that subject line. Forget about that for a moment, but wow, just incredulous on it at it's face.

Will you stand behind him if his "treatment" takes a year?


Sickened and saddened by this post.

[LLStarks]

56. No, I want Weiner to go, now. nt

[Broderick]

58. The two are incomparable....

He is a national security risk, because he put himself into a blackmail situation with anonymous pixel people. She has so much assistance to move forward and if she can't, the decision will be made. His was self induced, and is far beyond in the long term ramifications not only to the party but to the security of this country. For damn sakes, he offered up PR services to a porn star for silence - that is premeditated blackmail payoff. She is progressing and the country is NOT losing anything by her recovery. Just saddened and sickened by the post. Thank the lucky starts he was exposed, no pun intended. He will not survive this. Even Obama has done a tentative 180 on him.

[Bluebear]

73. I want i want I want.

[Maru Kitteh]

57. I haven't sent you any hateful PM's but you have earned them with this post.

You could have pled ignorance or momentary thoughtlessness, until now. n/t

[CreekDog]

76. you came back!

:eyes:

[Dappleganger]

84. Who are you talking to?

Did the laws of karma take you by surprise yet again?

[former9thward]

59. At the very least she should clearly take herself out of the Senate race.

The Republicans already have their candidate and he is campaigning around the state. Democrats in AZ are silent about running because at one point there were rumors she would run for the Senate. No one will get elected to the Senate with a sympathy vote so she should take herself out so other legitimate candidates can announce and run.

[w8liftinglady]

60. I'm caring for patients. I had almost Identical surgery to her's.

in 2010. My left temporal lobe was completely removed. I had expressive aphasia,much like she is having.My doc waited seven months before he's clear me to take care of patients.(I had been of on disability leave for 1 year prior to surgery).
With support of her staff,I feel she can do an adequate job.
i still have expressive aphasia when I'm tired. I explain this to my patients and co-workers.
They understand.

[Broderick]

62. Inspiring post.

[bluestate10]

63. Thanks for your post. You put a human face on the issue and you have

experience with what faces Congresswoman Giffords. BTW, even though I often disagree with you, you do an exceptional job of expressing your thoughts, as good as anyone else on DU. Since you have the expertise, I have a question. Would putting her thoughts into written text help Rep. Giffords during the coming months, or do doctors discourage that?

[w8liftinglady]

71. I wrote weekly in my local paper until recently. It helped.

unfortunately, the klan -wanabes made it hard on my high schooler.That's the main reason I stopped. My writing changed pre-and post-op.I am more concrete now. It is a good practice...one I'm sure she does with her family.

[Maru Kitteh]

69. Isn't the brain just the most amazing flippin' thing ever?

I've been studying neuro-psych for about 3 years now with about 3 more to go. The brain is incredible.

Thanks for posting your experience. I'm so glad you're back at work.

[loyalsister]

65. It's totally up to her

I'm sure that she and the people who know her best will assess the situation and her ability to perform. I trust her.

[Starry Messenger]

66. Well, she handled getting shot really well.

I imagine that like another woman who got shot in the line of duty, Jackie Speier, she'll make a recovery and go on to a long career in public life.

[musette_sf]

70. good one

+ 1

[CreekDog]

75. +1

5 bullets and left for dead on the runway in Guyana.

[Warrior Dash]

67. Probably not, but she deserves a shot at it.

[Forkboy]

72. You're such a nice addition to DU.

[RB TexLa]

68. Don't worry there will be plenty of campaign ads by her opponents questioning that in 2012

[Lex]

77. You had me at "meet and potatoes."

[Pool Hall Ace]

86. Yeah, meet and potatoes

go well with casting asparagus.

:spray:

[Bluebear]

87. +

[Texasgal]

79. Why should she lose her job?

Why should anyone lose their jobs because of a violent crime?

NO. She should be made an example of.

NO, JUST NO.

[Dappleganger]

83. Oh please.

[GoneOffShore]

85. Congress IS serious business and I'm sure that Ms Giffords

Is more than capable of handling that business - far more capable than Michelle Bachmann, who manages to run her mouth without engaging her brain.