To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

The U.S. representative will continue treatment for a life-threatening bullet wound to her head. Giffords was shot Jan. 8 when police say 22-year-old Jared Loughner opened fire while the congresswoman was attending a meet-and-greet event with constituents.

A crowd of well-wishers gathered in Tucson to send off Giffords Friday morning. Dr. Randall Friese is a trauma surgeon in Arizona, who said the crowds of supporters could be heard from inside Giffords' ambulance.

"She responded very well to that, smiling and even tearing a little bit," Friese said. "It was very emotional and very special."

It’s the kind of reaction that doctors say is promising. A team of six surgeons and specialists held a press briefing shortly after Giffords' arrival Friday afternoon. The doctors believe the congresswoman has “great rehabilitation potential.”

However, Giffords is subject to infections, pneumonia and other risks due to her condition, which is why doctors plan to keep her in the Intensive Care Unit of the Memorial Hermann Hospital at TMC before she moves to a nearby long term rehabilitation facility.

Dr. Dong Kim of Memorial Hermann said the congresswoman had good movement on the left side of her body, but her right side was not showing many signs of tone and movement. How much control she regains from her right side will only be known after the four-to-six month rehabilitation process.

"We really think over the next few months she's going to do remarkably well," Kim said. "There's no question that she is aware of what's happening."

While Giffords’ road to recovery may have its challenges, it seems her strength has captured the hearts of the doctors, nurses and medical staff who have cared for her over the past few weeks.

Tracy Culbert is a nurse at the University Medical Center in Tucson who says she has been “touched” by her time with Giffords. Before Culbert said her goodbyes to the congresswoman Friday, Giffords appeared curious about a ring the nurse was wearing.

"She was taking it off my hand and it was fitting tightly so I took it off for her and asked her if she wanted to see it, and she took it into her hand and was looking at it to see all sides of it, and then she put it on her finger to hold onto it," Culbert said. “She’s a very strong woman and you can just see it.”

It’s Giffords’ strength that has those around her finding hope in an unspeakable tragedy.

Dr. Friese said that soon after the shooting, they made sure Giffords had a custom-made helmet with the Arizona flag on it because “that’s what she would want.”

Watch the video below to see the full briefing from Hermann Memorial Hospital.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.