SBS ENS ee SE Tr SR Se YE Rh aE A ORL BRR R __ LIFESTYLES READY, WILLING and more. than able, 95-year-old Christine Anderson had an eye transplant two weeks ago and is already enjoying improved sight. The North Vancouver woman en- courages seniors with similar sight problems to undergo such a procedure. DW “th te “Best Wishing you and your families joy and happiness all season through. We greatly appreciate your support. From the staff at A SHADE BETTER | Serving the North Shore for over 6 years 1877 Marine Drive, North Vancouver #4-38918 Progress Way, Squamish 892-5857 984-4178 (FAX) (CALL) 984-4101 Sunday, December 16, 1990 - Norta Shore h News - -~ ati Being 95 years old didn’t stop Mrs. Anderson from having major surgery to correct her vision WHO SAYS you can’t have an eye-popping experience at 95? By Elizabeth Collings News Reporter Christine Anderson is here to tell you that you can. The North Vancouver woman became one of the oldest people in B.C. to have an eye transplant last month, and according to her it was just another day in her long, full 95-year life. Her biggest complaint is that the hospital staff at Shaughnessy kept her waiting for the operation on an empty stomach. The eye-popping part she didn’t mind one bit. In fact, ‘‘it was funny,’* she says. “1 was wide awake during the whole operation. They just froze the top of my head. 1 could feel him popping the eye out. They pressed hard and it popped out,”’ she says. Four years ago, Mrs. Ander- son’s eyesight started to fail her. She had operations on cataracts in both eyes, but one eye continued to deteriorate. According to one of her three daughters, Mrs. Anderson didn’t mind going blind, she just didn’t 64 Her only comment to the doctor when she was told she might get a man’s eye? “Maybe I'll start winking at the ladies. 99 want to hold up the rest of her family. “She wasn’t too upset over it (blindness), but she felt she was a burden to us. She has always been a very strong person,’’ says Chariotte Thompson. So when the doctor approached her about getting an eye transplant, Mrs. Anderson jumped at the chance despite her age. Her only comment to the doctor when she was told she might get a man’s eye? ‘Maybe I'll start winking at the ladies,’’ she joked. One week after the Nov. 30 operation, Mrs. Anderson could already see out of her eye enough to read a clock on the wall. “I can see a plant outside — it’s kind of hazy right now. It’s swinging in the wind,’* she says. Born in 1895 in Merritt, B.C., Mrs. Anderson has been living in North Vancouver since 1939. Her husband, a logger, died in 1929. Mrs. Anderson was subsequent- ly lured away by higher out-of- town wages and worked as a cook in MacMillan Blcedel logging camps, on boats to the Queen Charlottes and for CP Raii until her retirement at 65 — 30 years ago. According to her daughter Alma Van Essen, Mrs. Anderson has four children, 11 grandchil- dren and 34 great grandchildren. According to Mrs. Anderson, she agrees on the four children, but insists she has 16 grand and 35 greats, ‘‘just got two new ones a while ago,”’ she says. The News wanted to talk to the two women longer to clarify that information and a few other mat- ters but Mrs. Anderson was press- ed for time because she had to go out with her daughter to do some Christmas shopping. BELIEVING IN SANTA SHOULD BE FREE Free Photos With Santa Now until December 23 Santa Hours: Daily 10 am — 1 pm, 2-5 pm 6:30-8 pm (late nights), Sunday 1-4 pm Donations are welcome for the Vancouver Sun Children's Fund CAPILANOMALL uNCFUN tavountes of yesterday and today SHOPPING HOURS: Monday to Friday 9:30am-9:00pm Saturday 9:30am-5:30pm, Sunday Noon-5:00pm 935 Marine Drive 980-8561