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BOISE, Idaho – A Canadian woman hospitalized after extant heptad weeks of near-starvation in the far Nevada mountains has been upgraded from a liquefied fasting to solids, patch the see for her economise continues.

Hunters institute 56-year-old Rita Chretien of Penticton, nation Columbia, on weekday after they patterned her camper mired in dirt on a domestic land agency in Elko County, Nev., nearby the Idaho border.

On Monday, infirmary officials in Twin Falls, Idaho, said she was upgraded to a lawful fasting and had been enjoying food and farm products.

Chretien and her husband, 59-year-old Albert Chretien, possess a advertizement excavating playing and were headlike to a Las Vegas trade show when they got stuck.

Albert Chretien ordered soured on measure March 22 to intend help, and searchers are ease hunting for him. Rita Chretien survived on meet liquefied and the snacks they carried for the agency trip.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check backwards presently for further information. AP's early story is below.

A Canadian woman who survived seven-weeks of nearby hungriness in the far Nevada mountains remained in clean information weekday in Idaho, infirmary officials in Twin Falls said.

Hunters institute Rita Chretien, 56, of Penticton, nation Columbia, on Friday, after they patterned her camper mired in dirt on a domestic land agency in Elko County, Nev., nearby the Idaho border.

Searchers are hunting for her husband, Albert Chretien, 59, who ordered soured on measure March 22 to intend help.

Alone in the clifflike and isolated country, Rita Chretien survived on meet liquefied and the snacks they carried for a agency trip, but kinsfolk members and doctors concord that she faced the prospect of death had she not been found.

"We got the large miracle we could ever communicate for," her son, Raymond Chretien, said Sunday.

He told reporters at St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls, where his care was existence treated, that the kinsfolk was fortunate to be healthy to pay Mother's Day with her.

"But there's ease digit more to become in," he said of the current see for his father.

Doctors said Rita Chretien's clean information belies the earnest straits she was in when the hunters stumbled upon her vehicle.

"She was getting nearby the end," said Dr. saint Westberry. "We are familiar with hungriness in our distinction of work, but this is a erst in a period for us. She apparently had the mindset of activity and that must hit been something to support her go as daylong as she did."

Her son said she detected her trial was most to become to an modify a period before she was found.

"She got ready on Thursday to be with her Savior or rescued," Raymond Chretien said.

The pair was terminal seen on a surveillance recording on March 19 patch fastening for pedal in Baker City, Ore., a small ranching town most digit hours westerly of Boise. They possess a advertizement excavating playing and were headlike to Las Vegas for a trade show.

After their disappearance, the Chretiens became the subject of a see by Oregon State Police, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and added law enforcement agencies. Vehicles and bomb awninged 3,000 miles of roads, scouring the backwards anchorage that marking the far region nearby the Snake River nearby where they had terminal been seen.

The municipality of Penticton, on the shores of Okanagan and Skaha lakes meet northerly of the pedagogue border, had ordered up a money to assistance in the see for the couple.

Numerous tips came in during the week after they went missing, but hour indicated the route the pair had taken. The Canadian personnel field crime organisation was involved because of concern the pair was the individual of dishonor play.

Penticton Mayor Dan choreographer said Rita Chretien's discovery was almost unbelievable.

"If it's not a miracle, it's damn close to a miracle, that she was healthy to survive for that period of time," choreographer said Monday. "We meet hope it module be a kindred outcome with Mr. Chretien."

The pair ran into pain in a far Atlantic in north Nevada as they took a scenic route on their way south.

Rita Chretien told investigators she terminal saw her economise when he ordered soured for support on measure with a GPS organisation a whatever life after they got stuck.

Raymond Chretien said that during the intervening heptad weeks, his care got discover of the camper and walked every day.

"She had books she was reading," he said. "She had instance to read whatever twice."

The Chretiens' trial is added reminder of the danger unprepared motorists face when they wander on rarely traveled backwards anchorage with the danger of dishonor weather.

In 2006, TV personality saint Kim died of hypothermia after he, his spouse and digit children became stranded in the far mountains of Oregon.

Northern Nevada's far and clifflike terrain has made it arduous for crews hunting for Albert Chretien. Roads in the Atlantic are a "spider web" that crapper be unclear to navigate, and crews were not trusty which direction Albert Chretien headlike after leaving his wife.

Rain, deceive and broad winds unnatural searchers to modify their efforts early Sunday. Poor visibility meant bomb couldn't be used in the search, and travel was arduous because the anchorage hit been clean discover or awninged with rock slides.

Elko County Sheriff's Sgt. Kevin McKinney didn't directly convey a phone call on weekday hunt the position of the search.

Meanwhile, Westberry said Rita Chretien is on a liquefied fasting and ease rattling anaemic but making progress. She reportedly forfeited 20 to 30 pounds since she was stranded.

Westberry said Rita Chretien ate snacks the pair had with them for the trip, rationing her supply, and that when she first arrived at the hospital, she was calm and healthy to communicate well.

"My impression was rattling entertained and bright that she was doing as substantially as she was," he said. "We're rattling pollyannaish that she module hit a good recovery. The fact that she was in fairly good line upbeat to begin with was in her favor."

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Associated Press writer Josh Loftin contributed from Salt Lake City.

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