Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Recovering by 'Leaps and Bounds,' Doctors Say

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords continues to make a robust recovery, though she has no memory of being shot, her physicians said Friday.

At a news conference at TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital in Houston, doctors said the Arizona Democrat is speaking in full sentences and her short-term memory is improving, ABC News reported.

"She can repeat anything we say to her. Now, that's an important neurological recovery fact because what that means is that her whole primary language areas are intact," said Dr. Dong Kim.


Giffords' overall neurological abilities are recovering by "leaps and bounds," Kim said.

Her breathing tube will be removed next week and her ability to walk with assistance is getting better, according to ABC.

The congresswoman's husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, has told her she was shot, Politico reported. It was unclear whether she was aware of the other victims of the Jan. 8 rampage that killed six and left 13 injured.

Doctors are holding out hope that Giffords will be able to attend the April 19 launch of the space shuttle Endeavour, which will be piloted by her husband.

A bullet passed through Giffords' brain in the shooting outside a Tucson supermarket. The suspect, 22-year-old Jared Loughner, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he tried to kill the congresswoman and two of her aides. He was arraigned earlier in the week on dozens of new federal charges.