dr. hartmann has performed more separation surgeries than any doctor in the nation. his latest was in 2007 at packard. hartmann and his team successfully separated conjoined twins. four years later the girls are doing well and enjoying their independence. the sabucco twins hope to have the same happy ending. their mother hopes once they're separated they can lead more normal lives and for once get a break from each other when they argue but she knows surgery will never break their bond. after surgery, the girls will remain in the hospital for a few weeks, and if all goes well, they'll return home in san jose to embrace their independence. marianne favro, "nbc bay area news." >>> it was a close call but cal basketball coach mike montgomery announced is he cancer free. a month ago he was diagnosed with high grade bladder cancer. last week he underwent surgery and today at a media event he told reporters he has a clean bill of health. doctors told him if it wasn't caught, he might have been dead in six months. his recovery is quick and should be back on the court full ti

dr. hartmann and dr. nathan. what do you think the reduction in social security benefits would mean to seniors in this country. monday ruggles? >> the seniors i deal with, and especially the ones i talk to at vermont training associates, they are all terrified. plain and simple. terrified to expect to live on the dollars and cents that was in their earning statement, which unfortunately we no longer get. but their standard of living as they were working adults, and all of them -- i was at these meetings with, they were working adults. they weren't bums. they were hard-working people that wanted to keep working. they knew they cooperate survive on social security. neither can i. >> dr. hartmann. >> in the survey we took, we asked our retirees and near retirees of the four challenges they would face. one would be not having enough savings, going to a nursing home, not being able to pay for health care. but the single thing they were the most afraid of was the possibility that social security benefits would be cut.

dr. hartmann and dr. nathan.t do you think a reduction security benefits would mean for seniors in this country? ms. ruggles? >> the seniors of a deal with and that i talk to at the vermont training is to see its were terrified plain and simple to expect to live on the dollars and cents that was in their earnings statement which unfortunately we no longer get. but their standard of living is the has been working adults and all of the minds of these meetings with, they were working adults. and they were not waiting for a handout. they knew they couldn't survive. >> dr. hartmann? >> in the survey that we asked retirees the challenges and they would face, one would be not having enough savings, going to a nursing home not being able to pay for health care but the single thing they were the most afraid of is the possibility that social security benefits would be cut. it's in our full report i can send you. as you can see from the poverty data on how many people rely on it for such a large part of their income is simp

dr. hartmann and dr. nathan. what do you think the reduction in social security benefits would mean to seniors in this country. monday ruggles? >> the seniors i deal with, and especially the ones i talk to at vermont training associates, they are all terrified. plain and simple. terrified to expect to live on the dollars and cents that was in their earning statement, which unfortunately we no longer get. but their standard of living as they were working adults, and all of them -- i was at these meetings with, they were working adults. they weren't bums. they were hard-working people that wanted to keep working. they knew they cooperate survive on social security. neither can i. >> dr. hartmann. >> in the survey we took, we asked our retirees and near retirees of the four challenges they would face. one would be not having enough savings, going to a nursing home, not being able to pay for health care. but the single thing they were the most afraid of was the possibility that social security benefits would be cut.