CNN) -- In the days and weeks to come, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' recovery from a gunshot wound to the head will be a marathon, not a sprint, doctors say.
Nearly three weeks after her brain injury, there are several acute medical issues to be concerned about, according to doctors not involved with her care.
It could take months -- or longer -- for her to get back to where she was before the bullet ripped through her brain.
One immediate worry is an infection in her brain, according to Dr. Greg Zorman, chief of neurosurgery at Memorial Healthcare System in southern Florida.
"With gunshot wounds to the head, an infection can still happen, even this late," Zorman said.
