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Sen. Kennedy's Surgery: Doctor Says 'Goals Accomplished'; Parents From Polygamous Sect Pick-Up Kids; FEMA Shuts Down Hurricane Trailer Parks
Aired June 02, 2008 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: We're starting to get a little bit more in the way of details. Obviously five hours, a rather lengthy operation.
Let me give you a little bit of an idea, Melissa, of looking into the brain here. We have a graphic that sort of gives us an idea. If you take that brain and you sort of spin it around. I want to show you the specific area where they were operating.
Take away the brain tissue itself and light the parietal lobe, light that up in red there. It is so close to an area right in there known as the motor area of the brain, and an area down here known as the speech area of the brain. You're really trying to remove a tumor in this area without damaging the motor or the speech area. It can be challenging.
We don't know if he was asleep or awake during the operation. Sometimes the patient is awake during an operation like this. Biggest concerns are bleeding. Might there be bleeding from the operation itself. Would there be any risk of damage to the heart or to the lungs. The fact that they're done, you know, obviously a good sign. We'll wait word now to see what the doctor or patient's family has to say.
LONG: You mentioned some of the risks, the bleeding, the possible heart damage. What are some of the grave consequences that could happen because of the surgery for anyone, and then someone who's 76 years of age?
GUPTA: First of all, with regards to age, age is somewhat of an arbitrary thing. There are people who are 76-year-olds who do just fine, and sometimes people who a 50-year-old who have the physiology, if you will, of a person much older. So it's hard to say, based on age alone just how somebody would do.
Obviously there's more concerned about the heart and the lungs. The biggest concerns I think are those. The anesthesia, what are the stresses it puts on one's heart. What are the stresses it puts on one's lungs. If you have a period of breathing -- I'm sorry, bleeding from the brain during the operation, are you able to get that bleeding under control quickly.
Those are sort of the biggest risks, beyond, again, damaging those centers of the brain that might be closely related to this tumor. LONG: We have heard from the senator and in the form of a press release saying he is anxious to get back to work in the Senate, anxious to get back to work to campaigning for Senator Barack Obama, but of course he will have subsequent care. Is it radiation? Is it chemotherapy? And how long will that recovery be?
GUPTA: He absolutely will. If you put sort of together the mainstays of therapy for a tumor like this, surgery is the first line, but you're absolutely right, Melissa. After someone recovers from surgery, after the wounds heal on the head, chemotherapy and radiation are very important. They are sort of the next step of the mainstays of therapy.
Even after that, depending on how well he's responding to that, he may be in a clinical trial, for example, which there are several in the country. Duke has a few themselves, where they might actually create a vaccine, for example, to try to kill off those remaining tumor cells.
Again, when you looked at the image of the brain, you saw the tumor there, but oftentimes there's tentacles that sort of reach out into other areas of the brain. It is very hard to get all of those cells. Sort of trying to get them with the vaccine is so critical.
Have you the tumor here, the tentacles sometimes reaching out in various directions. Getting that with some of the vaccine, chemo and radiation could be key.
LONG: I want to just share a comment with you right now. From the Associated Press, this is from the doctor there at Duke, who I know you're very familiar with, Sanjay. And the Kennedy doctor saying that the brain surgery was successful and the quote is, "accomplished our goals."
So, Sanjay, I assume the goals are to get the bulk of the tumor.
GUPTA: That's right. And you know, you might even be more specific than that. For some of these clinical trials, they'll try to get what's known as a 95 percent resection. And 95 percent is somewhat of an arbitrary number, but the goal, as you say, is to get as much of that tumor out as possible without damaging any of those areas that are so critical.
LONG: All right. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you so much for sharing your expertise.
GUPTA: Thanks, Melissa.
LONG: And of course, his colleagues call him a giant in the field of cancer research field, so let's find out a little bit more now about Senator Kennedy's surgeon. Dr. Allan Friedman heads the division of neurosurgery at Duke University Medical Center. That's where the surgery is taking place today. He's been at Duke for 33 years. Friedman is responsible for around 90 percent -- 90 percent -- of all malignant brain tumor removals and biopsies performed at Duke. In addition to brain tumors, Friedman specialties include skull-based tumors, pituitary tumors and certain nerve surgeries.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Our other big story today here in the CNN NEWSROOM, we're keeping an eye on Texas where parents from that polygamous sect are rushing to foster care facilities all over the state. A state judge has signed the order to give them their children back under certain conditions. Our Susan Roesgen is at the polygamist ranch outside Eldorado and joins us by phone.
Any activity there, Susan?
VOICE OF SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boy, just reporters right now, Don. I'm looking at a locked gate. Beyond that, the long, dusty road that leads up to that ranch. This is where many of those children will be coming back today, tomorrow, possibly even later this week. Because as you pointed out, those shelters are all across the state of Texas, hundreds of miles away. And some of the mothers don't even have transportation to come get them.
This order, that was hammered out, that you mentioned -- that was hammered out over the weekend -- requires the parents or guardians to pick up the children themselves. The kids have to stay in Texas. They cannot leave the state.
And the Child Protective Services, the group of investigators that have watched this thing, that initiated the raid nearly two months ago, is going to be allowed the right to have unannounced visits to check on the kids during daylight hours, from 8:00 in the morning until 8:00 at night, to check on the kids and make sure they're OK here at the ranch.
Both sides, both the parents and the state of Texas say they were trying to do what they believe is in the best interest of the children.
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MARLEIGH MEISNER, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES: Our goal at Child Protective Services is always to try to reunite families, to reunite children when they can be safe in their own parents' care. And we hope they can be safe there. And we hope that we are going to be able to provide services to make them better parents for these children.
WILLIE JESSOP, FLDS SPOKESMAN: We're really grateful to get this order signed. But I know there's been a lot of requests for cameras and stuff to be there when the children are with the parents. The logistics of that are still being worked out. And I know that most of the shelters are not prepared for the type of release that we're faced with. So we'd ask everyone to be super sensitive to the crisis these families are going through, and the release of these children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROESGEN: And again, Don, the cameras are here. The reporters are here on this very windy, dusty day here in Eldorado. But the children are not here yet. And I've got to remind you, Don, of course, that the investigation continues. Because the children were returned does not mean the investigation is over.
Initially there were 31 girls believed to have been pregnant in the past or currently pregnant. Now that number is just five. But still, those five girls, if they were impregnated by older men, that would be statutory rape here in Texas. Those five girls are going to be the center of the investigation. That continues and the state attorney general's office, Don, may try to file a criminal case.
LEMON: Our Susan Roesgen outside the Yearning for Zion Ranch, in Eldorado, Texas.
We appreciate your reporting, Susan.
LONG: More than 50 -- more than 50 contests down, just two more to go. The presidential primary season ends tomorrow with contests in Montana and South Dakota. After a big win yesterday in Puerto Rico, Hillary Clinton is hoping for more. But polls show Barack Obama in the lead with both states. And wins tomorrow could put him very close to clinching the nomination. Our latest estimate shows he's just 46 delegates short of the magic number, that's 2,118. Thirty-one delegates are at stake tomorrow.
And continuing with our political news and topping the political ticker at this hour: A leaner staff for Hillary Clinton? Politico.com is reporting the campaign plans to cut some advance staffers this week. Those are the people who set up events around the country. Most of those staffers are in Puerto Rico where Clinton won yesterday's primary, or in Montana or South Dakota, which as I just mentioned, hold the two final contests of the season tomorrow.
Scott McClellan's tell-all book hits the store shelves today and you can bet Vice President Cheney won't be adding it to his personal library. The former White House press secretary is accusing his former colleagues of propaganda and deception, especially in the run up to the Iraq war. As for the vice president, he told and audience at the National Press Club in Washington, that he agrees with former Senator Bob Dole, who called McClellan, a miserable creature.
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RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I haven't read Scott McClellan's book. I don't plan to read Scott McClellan's book anytime soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LONG: A lot of other people do plan to read it. "What Happened Inside the Bush White House in Washington's Culture of Deception" is number one at Amazon.com's best-seller list. McClellan is standing by what he wrote, including his assertion that President Bush should have fired Karl Rove.
If you would like to get more political news, you'll find it right there on your desktop, just go to CNNPolitics.com. We have analysis from the best political team on television there. Again, CNNPolitics.com. LEMON: One day after a huge fire in Universal Studios back lot, tourists are back at the neighboring theme park and studio workers are back on the job. For their part, officials are questioning a lack of water pressure, which made the fire a whole lot harder to fight. Our Kareen Wynter is in Universal City and joins us with the latest.
Hi, Kareen.
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Don. Good to see you.
Universal Studios opened just about an hour ago, so business is pretty much -- back in business, everything's operating as normal. But one thing for sure, Don, that tourists as well as members of the public, they will not be seeing today, and that's that huge area of damage behind me.
The remnants of yesterday's massive, massive fire that burned the equivalent, really, of two city blocks right in the heart of Universal's back lot. The explosion, Don, from the fire could be actually be heard -- amazingly -- throughout the entire city.
Now, officials still haven't pinpointed the cause of the blaze, which reportedly injured nine firefighters, and also we're told sheriff's deputy.
The fire broke out in the early morning hours in an alley on one of the sets of Universal's property. It burned more than 12 hours, destroying several television and movie sets, including the town square from the movie "Back to the Future." A building that housed the huge King Kong attraction also burned -- burned to the ground.
Now, this was a huge tourist attraction, as well. That was part of the tour ride. Again, everything had to be shut down yesterday.
One thing that wasn't affected yesterday, Don, was the MTV Movie Awards. That went ahead as planned, because the location where this was held was much farther away up the hill, in fact. This is a huge, sprawling complex we're talking about here.
So again we're still waiting on the exactly cause, here, as well as official numbers for the damages. Don, we can see from our vantage point in the hills that there are still teams on the ground. They're doing some mopping up and also keeping an eye out for any potential hot spots -- Don.
LEMON: Kareen, just -- I mean, those pictures are just amazing and the amount of nostalgia and everything they lost in that. Have you spoken to anyone at the studios? Are they talking about the loss there, how much historically?
WYNTER: You know, we could only compare this, Don, to the fire that happened in the same location, believe it or not, in 1990. Now, that one was arson related. We don't know the cause of this fire, but that one was arson related. A lot of the structures that are affected now were affected back then. It's been rebuilt and surprisingly some of the changes included a pump that they put in place. New pipes to allow them to attack these sort of fires in case anything like that happened again. And fire officials tell us that something that didn't work in the critical early morning hours yesterday, that the water pressure wasn't strong enough and they had to resort to reservoirs and ponds in the area. So gives you an idea of what we can compare that to.
Nothing in terms of damages; the damages from 1990 was reportedly $25 million. We can just imagine what this has left behind, Don.
LEMON: They still have a lot to assess there. Our Kareen Wynter in Universal City.
Thank you, Kareen.
WYNTER: Sure.
LONG: The U.S. Senate is debating a bill to fight global warming. What does it mean to you? Will your power bill go up if it passes? What about the money you already pay for gasoline? We'll check in with Poppy Harlow, at the CNN Energy Desk, for some answers.
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LONG: In surgery for a little more than five hours, the senator is now out, Senator Kennedy. We're learning more from doctors at Duke Medical Center, which is a premier medical institution, also the doctor working on him, you know personally.
GUPTA: Yes, Dr. Allan Friedman is well known in neurosurgery circles. They're releasing a statement now, specifically. It's the first time we're hearing from the doctor. Let me just read you a few things.
"Please report that Senator Kennedy's operation was successful, accomplished our goals. He was awake during the resection."
That's the first we've confirmed that. You and Don and I have been talking about that all morning, but that's the first time we've actually heard that for sure. It lasted about three and a half hours. We heard from 9:00 to 2:00 but the actual operating time sounds like it was around three and a half hours.
They make a point in saying, "It's the first step in Senator Kennedy's treatment plan. After a brief recuperation he'll begin targeted radiation at Massachusetts General Hospital and chemotherapy treatment. I hope that everyone will join us in praying for Senator Kennedy and that he will have an uneventful and robust recovery."
So, sounds like it went just as planned, even shorter than they had anticipated. He was awake during this operation. So this was, something again, as we talked about, where maybe they had been saying, you know, Senator, squeeze my hand. Senator, lift your arm. Senator, talk to me. Constant feedback during this operation.
LONG: OK, so the constant feedback helps them to understand that they're actually operating in the precise spot they're supposed to be?
GUPTA: Yes, I think it is two things. One it tells you exactly where you're supposed to be, but more importantly it tells you where you shouldn't be. So for example, looking at this model, if you have this tumor in this area, and he started to not be able to squeeze his hand. You say, you know what, we're getting too close to the tumor over here. We need to stop, back off from that area.
If he starts to garble his words at all, that might mean you're too close to the speech center down here. Again, back off a little. It is remarkable stuff when you see it in action, even as you describe it. But that is essentially how they keep him from having any kind of neurological problem afterward.
LONG: For someone like that, who is not a neurosurgeon, that is just amazing that they have the capability to do that! You are amazed at this at the same time, even though it's something done before.
GUPTA: It has been done before. But, you know, neurosurgery is a pretty dynamic field. There are things that are always changing. They're getting better at this. It is amazing to me still, Melissa, that that organ which controls the enervation (ph) for the entire body, but doesn't have any enervation of its own. Meaning that the Senator wouldn't experience any pain as they're actually removing that tumor, because the brain doesn't have any pain fibers itself. That is part of the reason they can do it awake and part of the reason they know that he's not going to have a problem with weakness on the right side of his body, or speech, because he was awake during the operation.
LONG: So, three and a half hour surgery.
GUPTA: Yes.
LONG: We've confirmed that now. At what point will he be able to have a conversation with his family?
GUPTA: I think he is right now. That would be my guess.
LEMON: Can I jump in? I was just getting -- reading the wires here, the "Associated Press," and it says, "A spokesman for the Massachusetts Democrat says Kennedy spoke with his wife Vicki right after surgery. He told her, I feel like a million bucks. I think I'll do that again tomorrow."
(LAUGHTER)
GUPTA: That's the fighting Kennedy spirit that is known so well. But to your point, when someone is awake during the operation, you don't have to wake them up at the end. They've been awake the whole time. Sometimes they get a little bit of sedation to make them a little bit sleepy, make them forget a little bit, but that's about it. So, you know, perfect timing. He was talking to his wife immediately afterward.
LONG: And then again, he will still have to go through chemo or radiation combination?
GUPTA: Probably a combination. That's sort of the gold standard of therapy. As we mentioned, he might get this brain tumor vaccine in the future if that's something that he's a candidate for.
LONG: And that's something they're really piloting at Duke.
GUPTA: Duke is one of the centers around the country that really does this more than anything else.
LONG: I didn't introduce you going into the segment, you don't need and introduction -- Doctor Sanjay Gupta, thank you.
GUPTA: Thanks for having me. Yes, it's fascinating stuff. I'll keep on top of it and report back to you guys.
LONG: Great. Thank you.
LEMON: Thanks very much, Sanjay.
We want to take you up into space now, show you some beautiful pictures. It happened just moments ago. The space shuttle Discovery docking with the International Space Station. Of course, it is bringing a bus-size Japanese laboratory and replacement parts for -- but get this -- a broken toilet. All of this is according to NASA TV.
This is just moments ago. A new video that we're getting in. We were just talking to our space expert Miles O'Brien and he talked to us about the mission. What they were trying to accomplish and also showed us some of this amazing video, this new video that was shot aboard Discovery. But is Discovery docking just a short time ago, International Space Station.
And again, what they're doing is bringing a bus-sized Japanese laboratory and replacement parts for the all-important broken toilet. So that's live pictures there. And we just showed you the new video moments ago. We'll continue to update you if we get new information on this.
LONG: I love that story.
LEMON: Yes. Beautiful pictures always.
LONG: And following, again, a full 14-day mission, as well, for the Discovery astronauts.
Well, critics of a climate change bill, pending in Congress, are warning it will lead to higher energy costs. Supporters say even if that is true, it's a small price to pay. CNNMoney.com's Poppy Harlow as more now from the Energy Fix Desk.
Hi, Poppy.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Hi there, Melissa.
Yes, critics of a new climate change bill say it will lead to higher electricity prices at a time when gas prices are already through the roof. But others say this is a forward-looking plan that will help save the planet by cutting emissions by 70 percent by the year 2050.
Supporters say it would encourage more investment and renewable energy, something that will benefit the consumer in the long run.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: The Climate Security Act will spur investment in cleaner technology. It will create manufacturing jobs and help end our oil addiction by expanding renewable energy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Now, environmental groups are airing ads that show a man being pounded into the ground, as you just saw, by an oil barrel. Their point is big oil and coal companies are driving the bill into the ground. That's because those companies will be charged for all of the carbon they put into the air, and you can bet, Melissa, that it will be passed right down to your electric bill.
LONG: That isn't something anyone wants to hear today, of course. That's an additional problem for all of us to deal with in terms of how bad the economy has become.
HARLOW: That's exactly right. We've already seen how higher gas prices are really hurting consumers and businesses like shipping companies and also the airlines.
Actually, the CEO of Duke Energy said this bill could have a Draconian affect -- harsh word there -- on the 25 states that burn 80 percent of the nation's coal. A lot of those states are in the Midwest, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin. He says it's really unfair to consumers in those states, especially since the policy back in the '70s and '80s was to build more coal plants.
Supporters of the bill, though, say the equation needs to be changed in order to encourage investment in cleaner energy, like wind. And they say that bill will also create jobs. Now, General Electric, that massive company, says they support the bill, but of course, remember, GE makes wind turbines and therefore stands to benefit from a bill that would make burning carbon more expensive -- Melissa.
LONG: In the past we've had environmental groups, energy companies announcing they were on the very same page, right, when it comes to climate change?
HARLOW: Yes, they actually did, so some people may be asking why is this happening now. But as is often the case, the devil is certainly in the details here. Some say this bill charges too much for carbon emissions. Others think the money will then be earmarked to pet projects rather than really helping the consumer lower their energy costs.
By the way, this bill is not expected to pass, but it may lay the groundwork for more debate this political season. The presidential candidates all say they support pollution taxes, like the one we're talking about. But, of course, it will be interesting to see how the candidates react, and if they show some differences, if and when an actual alternative bill is proposed. A lot more of this on our Web site, CNNMoney.com -- Melissa.
LONG: Poppy, thank you. Of course, in addition to this information, you can also follow your fortune online CNNMoney.com. On that Web site you'll also find the market news, the market numbers, expert analysis and much more.
LEMON: Serving his country and paying the ultimate price. A teenage soldier killed in the Iraq war receives the nation's highest military honor.
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LEMON: Every day it seems we've been talking about the increase in gas prices, but today it's a different story. Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange with the details.
Susan, you're the bearer of good news, finally?
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, let's put it in perspective here. The streak is over. Gas prices have risen the past 26 days. Today AAA says the average price for a gallon of gas didn't change at all. Having said that, gas remains at a record high; more than $3.97 a gallon. The average price for a gallon or regular topping 4 bucks in 12 states now and the District of Columbia. Alaskans paying the most, on the other end, South Carolinians getting gas fro the bargain basement price of $3.79.
You could drive, couldn't you, Don, that from Hot'lanta?
LEMON: Hotlanta (ph). And you know it is, Hotlanta, right now.
LISOVICZ: I know it is.
LEMON: But you know what, we're complaining, but in Europe, they're playing close to like $11 or something? Ridiculous.
LISOVICZ: Yes.
LEMON: OK, so as much as we complain about gas prices, they still haven't risen as fast as oil prices.
LISOVICZ: That's right. And that's troubling. Because there is a cause and effect here. Gas prices have risen about 25 percent while oil price have more than doubled since the beginning of last year. That surge is hitting a lot of people hard. It's hitting a lot of industries hard, particularly airlines.
The International Air Transportation Association says the global airline industry is said to lose more than 2 billion bucks this year because of a fuel bill that's expected to reach $176 billion. If oil prices stays around $135 a barrel for the rest of the year, those airline losses could hit $6 billion.
Just three months ago, the group was actually predicting a profit, but since then oil prices have jumped from $105 a barrel to $135. Today, oil up about half a dollar. That and the industry forecast sending airline stocks sharply lower; United leading the way with an 8 percent drop, Northwest, Delta, Continental all off 4 percent each.
And overall, a rough start to the first trading day in June. We saw more weakness in two reports on construction and manufacturing, and weakness in the blue chips. Right now, the Dow is down 168 points, or 1.3 percent. The Nasdaq is down 1.6 percent.
In the next hour, what's in your mailbox? We're talking about --
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Say that right, Susan?
LISOVICZ: I can't remember!
LEMON: "What's in yar mailbox!?"
LISOVICZ: There you go. I saw it often enough -- anyway -- that commercial.
We're going to be talking about credit card applications, and this also could be something that will bring a smile to your face, this story, Don.
LEMON: Yes, I get them a lot. Just shred them and get rid of them.
LISOVICZ: Well, if there's fewer, you won't have to shred as much.
LEMON: All right, OK. Thank you, Susan.
LISOVICZ: See you in the next hour.
LONG: Coming up, a story about trailer parks being off limits.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's sad to know that there's no help. No one have answers.
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LONG: FEMA closing temporary homes? But where will some Katrina victims go?
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LEMON: You like that?
LONG: I do.
LEMON: Keep going.
LONG: It's peppy, puts you in a good mood.
LEMON: Peppy, all right.
Hello, everybody. I'm Don Lemon, live here at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, with peppy Melissa Long.
LONG: Well, we're talking to Poppy, a little later, right?
LEMON: Now, and you're peppy.
LONG: I'm not peppy. I'm Melissa Long, in today for Kyra Phillips, and you're in the NEWSROOM.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Working on a couple of stories for you today, here in the CNN NEWSROOM, including this one. The 400 plus children seized from that polygamist ranch in Texas, are going back to their moms and dads. A Texas judge has signed an order allowing their parents to regain custody. But the order also allows child welfare workers to continue their investigation into the polygamist sect.
Investigators are on the scene of a raging fire that destroyed a back lot at Universal Studios yesterday. And tourists are now being allowed back into the Los Angeles theme park. The fire destroyed the popular King Kong exhibit, along with some famous movie sets.
Senator Edward Kennedy, is out of surgery after a 3 1/2 hour operation to treat his malignant brain tumor. His surgeon says the procedure was successful, but cautions it's just the first step in the senator's treatment.
LONG: Now, the senator was awake during his surgery. What is it like to go through brain surgery awake? Well, out next guest has been there on the operating table with her eyes open. She's written a book about it called, "Living Time."
Author and Dr. Bernadine Healy, certainly is not your typical patient. She's the former director of the National Institutes of Health, former president of the American Red Cross and the current health editor for U.S. News and World Report. She joins us now, live.
Dr. Healy, thank you.
DR. BERNADINE HEALY, FMR. DIR. NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH: Hi, Melissa.
LONG: So help us to understand exactly what the senator was going through, just a matter of hours ago, since you went through it yourself. The neuroanesthesiologist was there -- essentially put you to sleep and then bring you back? HEALY: That's correct. The patient goes to sleep, and then after the brain is exposed, the part of the skull is removed and the surgeon is about to start resecting the tumor, the patient -- the anesthesia is lightened the and the patient is able to converse with -- usually it's the neuroanesthesiologist and then maybe a neurologist, and is asked to speak.
Might be given something to read, and that enables the surgeon to do very delicate surgery and stay away from areas that would have functional importance, like speech. That part of the brain is important to understanding and to being able to respond, to being able to speak.
LONG: Now Dr. Healy, in your case, you had actually selected a passage that you were reciting in the operating room?
HEALY: No, it was a total surprise and actually it seemed flowery to me. And my reaction is, why should I complain?
LONG: OK, Help us to understand what you're seeing during the surgery and what you may even being feeling, if anything.
HEALY: You don't feel anything. I mean, it is very disciplined. You open your eyes, you can hear the noises, you can see people, you can recognize people, can you converse with people. You are fully awake and conscious. You do what you're asked to do, which is to recite, like you're reciting before a third grade class, you know, your reading lesson. And then as soon as they say that's enough, you go right back to sleep.
LONG: We have a statement from the Massachusetts Democrat in terms of a release that says, he was speaking directly to his wife right after the surgery saying, I feel like a million bucks. I think I'll do that again tomorrow.
What is your reaction to that statement from the senator?
HEALY: Well, I think that's right. I think after the procedure is over, you feel great. In fact, they say he's going to be in the hospital for a week. I think, I bet he's going to leave sooner, because he'll feel tariff figure and I think he'll want to get on with his life.
LONG: Now, help us understand how your surgery, how your diagnosis, about nine years ago now, is different than what the senator has been going through.
HEALY: It's pretty much the same. And I think what's very interesting Melissa, is that it's the same reaction. Initially everyone is ready to hang the crepe and you know, you think you're dying. And then very quickly you say hey, wait a minute. I'm fine. I'm able to -- in his case, he was sailing his boat. He is going to get back to the Senate. He has to do some treatments. The treatments will be effective.
The question is how long, and you know my bet is every patient is different, and let's hope for the best. He's about to have -- he's had the surgery. He's going to have radiation and chemotherapy and this can give him many years of life ahead of him, and that is what a fighting man is going to bet on.
LONG: You had actually mentioned a moment ago, that you do feel real gloom and understandably. There was just a piece I'll lift from something you wrote years ago in 1999 saying, so this is how I die. These words ran through my mind as I lay in the emergency room of a Cleveland clinic on Valentine's Day of 1999.
How did you get through that though? How did you get the optimism and the strength to persevere and, I'm asking this because there are other people out there, loved ones or people who may be going through this very same thing right now.
HEALY: And I think it's an important point, that all of us who have experienced cancer have that same immediate reaction, which is, oh, my God, this is how the Lord's going to take me. But you very quickly move from that to realizing, hey, wait a minute, I'm alive. I don't want to be buried. Every moment is a living time, every day is a living time. And then you speak with your doctors. You get very focused.
This becomes the most important thing for you and your family for a period of time. And then suddenly you look around and say, hey, I can smell the flowers, I can see the sun come up. I'm enjoying my life, my family, I'm going to go back to work. And I think that that moment of gloom and doom does not last forever. In fact, it tends to last a very short time, because suddenly your doctors are telling you what you have so do to carry on.
LONG: And Dr. Healy, you mention that in your "Living Time," that is the name of your book, detailing your amazing journey, faith and facts to transform your cancer journey.
Dr. Healy, thank you so much for sharing your story, helping us to better understand what the senator has been going through and what he will be going through in the coming weeks and months. And so delighted that you are living proof of the modern miracle of science today.
Thank you.
HEALY: Thank you.
(WEATHER REPORT)
LONG: Coming up, we'll be talking about trailer parks being off limits?
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's sad to know that there's no help. No one have answers.
(END VIDEO CLIP) LONG: No answers? Well, FEMA is closing temporary homes. Where will some Katrina victims go?
LEMON: And the death of a fashion icon big enough to be recognized by just three initials. We all know -- YSL.
More to come in the NEWSROOM.
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LONG: Almost three years after Katrina, FEMA is shutting down hurricane trailer parks along the Gulf Coast. Most were closed by yesterday's deadline but some are still open today. The feds are looking for motels and apartments for those people.
CNN's Sean Callebs, has more.
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SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sausage and red beans. A staple along the Gulf Coast. So too, are FEMA trailers. More than 20,000 still dot the Gulf Coast landscape nearly three years after Katrina.
Count Caroline Henry, among those who will miss her few hundred square feet of living space. There's a lack of affordable housing in the Gulfport, Mississippi, area. And she recently lost her job. Now FEMA wants her out of this trailer.
CAROLINE HENRY, HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIM: It's sad to know that there's no help. No one have answers.
CALLEBS: FEMA wants people out of trailers for two key reasons. The start of hurricane season, a dangerous time to be living in a trailer. And the fact hot summer months make the ongoing issue of toxic fumes from formaldehyde even worse. After years of harsh criticism, FEMA believes it's been unjustly roughed up.
JAMES STARK, FEMA: I think we are unfairly treated. I think what you have is a dedicated group of thousands of people here on the Gulf Coast, trying to help their neighbors. We didn't pick formaldehyde trailers to put into the stream here.
CALLEBS: At a church meeting in New Orleans, advocates say after acting too slowly to help people affected by the storm, FEMA is now only too eager to push the elderly and disabled out the door, leaving them with no place to go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have been through trial and tribulation.
CALLEBS: FEMA's program for emergency housing along the Gulf has been a nightmare for legions of residents. Many say they were hit by two storms, first Katrina, then government mismanagement. FEMA says it's learned valuable lessons.
STARK: There are other agencies, there are other state and federal agencies that may be better equipped for long-term recovery missions that we took on, for instance, housing. That may not be a FEMA long-term recovery mission.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Gracie, and her little darling angel.
CALLEBS: FEMA denies it's trying to pass the buck. Caroline Henry, has watched neighbor after neighbor get uprooted and move on. She doesn't want to live in a trailer, but at this point, she says she has no other choice.
HENRY: There is people out there as well as myself, that need the system to get placed in a safe, permanent dwelling. They should assist us.
CALLEBS: It may sound harsh, but FEMA says people need to move on. The agency says it will provide as much help as possible, but make no mistake. Its role is coming to an end.
Sean Callebs, CNN, Gulfport, Mississippi.
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LONG: And we should point out the relocation orders extend only to trailer parks, it does not include thousands of trailers placed on the front lawns of hurricane-damaged homes.
LEMON: Well, serving his country and paying the ultimate price. A teenage soldier killed in the Iraq war receives the nation's highest military honor.
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LEMON: All right. This just into the CNN NEWSROOM. We have some severe weather.
Our Chad Myers working it for us in the weather center -- Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Don.
Yes, I just talked about this storm near Schell City in Missouri. We didn't have a warning on it then, but now we do -- a tornado warning on it. Doppler indicates the spin to the storm is significant enough there that you can actually see the storm and that box -- show you that there aren't too many people in the way of this storm, but we do care about all these people out there anyway. Near the Schell City recreation center there, Harwood (ph), and then down towards Cedar County as well. We'll keep you advised.
This is kind of a line towards Springfield, Missouri, a much more populated town. We'll tell you about that if it does get closer, obviously.
LEMON: All right. Chad, thank you very much.
MYERS: Sure. LEMON: At the age of 19, Army Private First Class Ross McGinnis, of Pennsylvania, gave his life in Iraq to save the lives of his colleagues. Well today, President Bush presented him with the nation's highest military honor.
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GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America will never forget those who came forward to bear the battle. America will always honor the name of this brave soldier who gave all for his country and was taken to rest at age 19.
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LEMON: CNN's Jamie McIntyre has more on the events the day McGinnis was killed.
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JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The few seconds it takes to look at this photograph of 19-year-old Ross McGinnis manning his 50 caliber machine gun, is about the same time McGinnis had to decide whether to jump out of his humvee and save himself, or sit down and take a live grenade for his buddies.
Inside, the platoon leader --
SGT. 1ST CLASS CEDRICK THOMAS, U.S. ARMY: You have a split second to make a decision. What are you going to do? Are you going to get out, or are you going to sit on it?
MCINTYRE: The medic --
SPEC. SEAN LAWSON, U.S. ARMY: There's no right or wrong for that. If he jumped out, nobody would have blamed him.
MCINTYRE: The soldier who saw the grenade come in --
STAFF SGT. IAN NEWLAND, U.S. ARMY: I gathered pretty directly what was about to happen and dropped my rifle, and I started to put my hands up to cover my face.
MCINTYRE: And the driver who thought he was dead --
SGT. LYLE BUEHLER, U.S. ARMY: It was so scary. I can tell you that. All I knew, I didn't know how much time I had, I just braced for impact. I didn't think I had enough time to even get out of the truck.
LAWSON: McGinnis yelled out, grenade, and by the time it registered what had happened, the grenade went off.
THOMAS: He wasn't going to leave us. So -- he sat back down.
LAWSON: McGinnis had jumped back on the radios where the grenade was lodged. Like a chair, he just sat back on it. MCINTYRE (on-camera): He saved your life.
BUEHLER: I think about it every day.
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MCINTYRE: It was really amazing talking to those four soldiers who are alive today because of the heroic actions of Private McGinnis. They've all talked about this nightmare scenario about what to do if a live grenade comes in your vehicle, and none of them could say that they would do the same thing he did. Nobody could say that, unless they're in that situation.
And I talked to his father, too, who is very proud of his son, but still grieving. He says he only knew his son really as a boy and he became a man in Iraq. He did say, however, that his son was a hero, even before he gave his life to save four fellow soldiers because he was willing to pledge his life to defend America's values. And he's quite proud of that.
LEMON: All right. Jamie McIntyre with the story of one of America's fallen heros.
Jamie, thank you.
LONG: It was raining money in Indonesia. An author threw about $10,700 from a plane on Sunday. Why?
To promote his new book. You can hear the crowd scrambling to grab their share of the cash. Don't blame them. The motivational speaker said instead of a traditional book tour, he wanted to come up with an idea that would make people happy.
I think that made a lot of people very happy.
LEMON: Definitely made them run, right?
Well, he went through several hours of brain surgery and he was awake for it. Now Senator Edward Kennedy is off the operating table and we'll tell you the latest on his condition.
LONG: And the kids are going home. But the state of Texas intends to keep a close eye on them, and their families polygamous lifestyle.
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LONG: You can pick him out a mile away. Black hat, dark glasses, the home maid square guitar. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bo Diddley died today at his home in Archer, Florida. The family spokesperson says Diddley died of heart failure after months of ill health.
The rhythm he carved out on tunes like "Who Do You Love?" and "Bo Diddley" is now widely known as the Bo Diddley beat. And it of course inspired legions of others of other musicians. Bo Diddley was 79. LEMON: And a genius of creation, the prince of fashion, a libertarian and an anarchist. Well those labels being bestowed on designer Yves Saint Laurent after his death last night of brain cancer. At 21 he became head of the famed house of Dior. A decade later, he made waves by tweaking the masculine tuxedo for women's wear. Yves Saint Laurent was 71-years-old. His funeral will be Thursday in Paris.
Last hour of the CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.
