Aide: Time Nearing for Giffords' Hospital Release

Aide: Time Nearing forGiffords' Hospital Release congresswoman could be released fromhospital as early as end of JuneAn aide to U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords saidSaturday that she could be released from arehabilitation hospital in Houston as earlyas this month, offering the latest indicationthat the Arizona congresswoman is makingprogress in recovering from a gunshotwound to the head.Chief of Staff Pia Carusone told TheAssociated Press that doctors and familyare considering "many factors" whilemaking the critical next-step decision torelease Giffords from TIRR MemorialHermann, the hospital where she has beenundergoing intensive daily rehabilitationsince late January."We're looking at before the end of themonth. We're looking at early July,"Carusone said. "We don't have a date."Giffords arrived in Houston just weeks afterbeing shot on Jan. 8 while she was at ameet-and-greet with constituents in herhome district of Tucson, Ariz. Six peoplewere killed and a dozen others wounded inthe attack outside a supermarket.While Giffords' release from the hospitalafter five months of intensive inpatienttherapy is an important step in herrecovery, she still will have to undergomonths of outpatient rehabilitation, whichwill include speech, occupational andphysical therapy. Her husband, astronautMark Kelly, has indicated she will begin heroutpatient therapy in Houston.Giffords has made remarkable progressthat has been described by neurosurgeonDr. Dong Kim as "almost miraculous."Doctors were initially amazed that thecongresswoman survived the shooting —only 10 percent of people shot in the headlive and many who do remain in avegetative state. Within days, she was ableto move both arms and respond to familyand friends.Since coming to Houston, Giffords hasregained some ability to walk and talk. Theonly image of her since the shooting wasseen in late April, when television camerasshot blurry footage of her ascending a flightof steps to a NASA jet that was taking herto Cape Canaveral, Fla., to watch herhusband rocket into space.That mission was delayed until May, andafter Giffords returned from a second tripto Florida — where she watched the launchwhile sitting in a wheelchair — sheunderwent surgery to replace a portion ofher skull that was removed immediatelyafter the shooting to give her brain room toswell.After the surgery, doctors told the mediaGiffords was walking better than was seenin the flurry footage from late April and thather speech was continuously improving.But Carusone made clear in a recentinterview with The Arizona Republic thather boss still had difficulty stringingtogether sentences and it remained unclearif — or when — she would be able toresume her Congressional duties. Aide: Time Nearing forGiffords' Hospital Release