The Hill News

The lead surgeon for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) said Monday that the congresswoman could possibly be taken off her breathing apparatus in the next few days if she continued to make progress.

Speaking on MSNBC this morning Trauma and University Medical Center Critical Care Director Dr. Peter Rhee of said that Giffords, who had been shot in the head on Saturday, was not in a medically induced coma, just heavily sedated and was recovering quickly. Rhee predicted that he would take Gifford off her breathing machine in the coming days if she continued to improve rapidly.

"Probably one or two days if things are still going really well," Rhee said.

On Saturday Rep. Giffords was shot in the head during a "Congress on Your Corner" event in Tuscon. Giffords was rushed to surgery at Arizona's University Medical Center. That Saturday afternoon Rhee said Giffords's prognosis was good and that the congresswoman would pull through.

Giff! ords was one of roughly twenty victims wounded in the shooting. Six died because of the shooting including an aide for Giffords, a federal judge, and a 9-year-old girl.