INDIANAPOLIS - An Indianapolis woman recovering from a brain injury decades ago has advice for a congresswoman who continues to recover from a shooting.
Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords returned to Capitol Hill Monday night to cast her vote on the debt deal. Her appearance was a moment of personal triumph that, for a moment, swept away ill will.
Republicans and Democrats jumped to their feet when Giffords made her surprise entrance on the House floor.
"I was. We were all so blown away. You said, and I think it's right, there wasn't a dry eye in the house," said Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Illinois).
Looking thin and like her right side was still weak, Giffords' public statements came on Twitter.
"I had to be here for this vote," she tweeted.
"Her speech may be a little slower and slurred, just due to formulating thoughts," said Darcy Keith of Indianapolis.
Keith knows even the brief appearance by the congresswoman was hard to accomplish.
"Gabby and I both have a lot of things in common. We have a left lobe brain injury," she said.
Keith, who is now 42, suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident 20 years ago. Two of her friends died, but Keith hung on. She was in a coma for six days and was in the hospital for two months.
"The worst prognosis for me was that I would never have an analytic job. I would never be able to function a full day. I would never be able to make good judgment," Keith said.
But she was determined to prove otherwise, making slow but steady progress.
"Right now, I am a business analyst at State Auto Insurance, because I've learned things and ways to cope and adapt," Keith said.
But she still has deficits and she cautions Giffords to not take on too much, too soon.
"For the time she was on the House floor, I was like, 'Go girl' and then she quickly exited after that and I think that was good, because too much stimuli overwhelms a brain injury survivor, where they can't...they can tire very easily," Keith said.
Keith travels the country educating about brain injuries and will continue to closely mark Giffords' milestones. She prays those around the congresswoman will help her balance expectations with patience.
"Traumatic brain injuries are different and each of us recovers at a different pace. Some of us sooner, some of us later," she said.
Giffords was shot through the head seven months ago at a constituent event in Tucson. In April, she watched the launch of the space shuttle commanded by her husband. Her camp Tuesday says the debt vote is the first of many Giffords will cast.
