Giffords May Soon Lose Breathing Tube

Doctors at the University Medical Center in Tucson may remove Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' breathing tube on Saturday, which will be the next major step in her recovery. Giffords has been able to breathe on her own, but her team of doctors left the tube in to prevent fluid from building up in her lungs that could potentially develop into pneumonia. If doctors can successfully remove the tube, Giffords will be moved from intensive care to a normal hospital ward, where they will focus on rehabilitation. If all goes well, she could potentially go home in the coming days and have outpatient physical and speech therapy. Dr. Neil Martin, chair of neurosurgery at UCLA's Reagan Medical center, spoke positively of Giffords' recovery. "The first hurdle is survival," Martin said. "It looks like that is going to happen. The next level is reasonable neurological function, walking and talking. The odds of that are also very good." Giffords has shown signs of a miraculous recovery in the last week: She is moving her hands, arms, and legs, opening her eyes, and responding to commands.