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American Morning

Quad Transplant

Aired November 28, 2003 - 07:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to an amazing medical story out of Oklahoma City. What a week to have it, too, during Thanksgiving. Early last week, one-year-old Nicholas Camp underwent 12 hours of transplant surgery to receive four new organs, 12 hours. So small the organs were, they could fit into two cupped hands, a stomach, a small intestine, a liver and a pancreas. The organs came from a two-month- old boy who suffered fatal head wounds. Doctors say Nicholas has made great progress so far since that operation. With us from Integris Baptist Hospital, Dr. Bakr Nour, the head surgeon there. Good morning there. Cassie Lakey, the mother of Nicholas Camp, and the grandmother, Anita Johnson. All three with us this morning. Great to see you.
And, Cassie, tell us, how is he doing. How is Nicholas?

CASSIE LAKEY, NICHOLAS' MOTHER: He's doing really well. He's smiling and talking and getting back to normal.

HEMMER: How concerned were you before the operation began?

LAKEY: Very. I was really scared.

HEMMER: How long had you waited, Cassie, for these organs?

LAKEY: It was about seven months.

HEMMER: Wow. A long, long seven months.

Doctor, why did Nicholas need this operation?

DR. BAKR NOUR, INTEGRIS BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER: Nicholas was born with congenital anomaly, where his intestine were lying outside his body, when he was three hours old. He underwent major surgery to remove all his intestines. So basically....

HEMMER: How long would he have survived had this not happened this past week?

NOUR: I think a few more months. He was almost reaching the end of the road.

HEMMER: How did it go, in your estimation?

NOUR: It went very well. You know, praise the Lord, he's doing great, he's recovering day after day in front of our eyes, and all the organs are working, and he's doing wonderful.

HEMMER: Yes, given his age, doctor, what concerned you?

NOUR: The major problem was to find a suitable donor, a donor that can fit, I mean organs from a donor that can fit in this tiny abdomen, and that was the major problem, because these donors are not available always.

HEMMER: Anita, I want to ask you a question about the waiting game. I understand it was quite an ordeal for you. What were you experiencing and feeling then?

ANITA JOHNSON, NICHOLAS' GRANDMOTHER: Well, we were nervous, excited. Scared.

HEMMER: Tell me how you got the word that the operation was over.

JOHNSON: Dr. Nour came out and spoke with us.

HEMMER: Do you remember what his words were?

JOHNSON: Not exactly. I remember him whistling down the hall.

HEMMER: That would be a good note I think, a good whistling note.

JOHNSON: That was a good sign.

HEMMER: Yes, that's right.

Back to Cassie if I could, quickly. As you go forward right now, what concerns you as a mother trying to make sure Nicholas hangs on, and again, gets the strength that he needs?

LAKEY: Really, the only thing that's concerning is rejection and infection. We got to steer clear of those and we'll be OK.

HEMMER: Wow, listen, best of luck to you. Doctor, do you echo that, too, the infection the biggest concern right now?

NOUR: Yes, but so far, he's doing wonderful. And with the new generation of anti-rejection medicine, I think, you know, we'll be able to keep him away from rejection and infections.

HEMMER: Well, listen, job well done. And to all three of you, what a great way, too, to give thanks, too, for young Nicholas. Thanks to Cassie and Anita Johnson and Bakr Nour. Thanks for sharing your story with us. Good luck.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired November 28, 2003 - 07:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to an amazing medical story out of Oklahoma City. What a week to have it, too, during Thanksgiving. Early last week, one-year-old Nicholas Camp underwent 12 hours of transplant surgery to receive four new organs, 12 hours. So small the organs were, they could fit into two cupped hands, a stomach, a small intestine, a liver and a pancreas. The organs came from a two-month- old boy who suffered fatal head wounds. Doctors say Nicholas has made great progress so far since that operation. With us from Integris Baptist Hospital, Dr. Bakr Nour, the head surgeon there. Good morning there. Cassie Lakey, the mother of Nicholas Camp, and the grandmother, Anita Johnson. All three with us this morning. Great to see you.
And, Cassie, tell us, how is he doing. How is Nicholas?

CASSIE LAKEY, NICHOLAS' MOTHER: He's doing really well. He's smiling and talking and getting back to normal.

HEMMER: How concerned were you before the operation began?

LAKEY: Very. I was really scared.

HEMMER: How long had you waited, Cassie, for these organs?

LAKEY: It was about seven months.

HEMMER: Wow. A long, long seven months.

Doctor, why did Nicholas need this operation?

DR. BAKR NOUR, INTEGRIS BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER: Nicholas was born with congenital anomaly, where his intestine were lying outside his body, when he was three hours old. He underwent major surgery to remove all his intestines. So basically....

HEMMER: How long would he have survived had this not happened this past week?

NOUR: I think a few more months. He was almost reaching the end of the road.

HEMMER: How did it go, in your estimation?

NOUR: It went very well. You know, praise the Lord, he's doing great, he's recovering day after day in front of our eyes, and all the organs are working, and he's doing wonderful.

HEMMER: Yes, given his age, doctor, what concerned you?

NOUR: The major problem was to find a suitable donor, a donor that can fit, I mean organs from a donor that can fit in this tiny abdomen, and that was the major problem, because these donors are not available always.

HEMMER: Anita, I want to ask you a question about the waiting game. I understand it was quite an ordeal for you. What were you experiencing and feeling then?

ANITA JOHNSON, NICHOLAS' GRANDMOTHER: Well, we were nervous, excited. Scared.

HEMMER: Tell me how you got the word that the operation was over.

JOHNSON: Dr. Nour came out and spoke with us.

HEMMER: Do you remember what his words were?

JOHNSON: Not exactly. I remember him whistling down the hall.

HEMMER: That would be a good note I think, a good whistling note.

JOHNSON: That was a good sign.

HEMMER: Yes, that's right.

Back to Cassie if I could, quickly. As you go forward right now, what concerns you as a mother trying to make sure Nicholas hangs on, and again, gets the strength that he needs?

LAKEY: Really, the only thing that's concerning is rejection and infection. We got to steer clear of those and we'll be OK.

HEMMER: Wow, listen, best of luck to you. Doctor, do you echo that, too, the infection the biggest concern right now?

NOUR: Yes, but so far, he's doing wonderful. And with the new generation of anti-rejection medicine, I think, you know, we'll be able to keep him away from rejection and infections.

HEMMER: Well, listen, job well done. And to all three of you, what a great way, too, to give thanks, too, for young Nicholas. Thanks to Cassie and Anita Johnson and Bakr Nour. Thanks for sharing your story with us. Good luck.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com