4tne: 1-2MaY 03, 2004 5:57 AM
Update on the Sanfords in Atherton
Hi Mom,
While walking last evening, I had a nice phone chat with Bruce & Dorothy and with Marilyn. .but couldn't reach the rest of you.
I received a call last evening from Thailand that may lead me to spend a few weeks in Vietnam next January—evaluating medical education on reproductive health. Primary training center is in Hue--but I expect visits to other medical schools, especially Hanoi.
Friday night Michael and I replaced a broken drive belt on mower--Michael and David have mowed the field closely (I never mow it so low), so that they can practice golf shots! Saturday we replaced the pump in our bored well--first time I've ever been able to look down the shaft and see it filling up. We have about 20 feet of water at the base of a 50 foot well--and the pump will run it dry in about 2 hours!
Hope you enjoy the update (below) from Susan's former pastor—Art and Natalie have fared quite well at Atherton. Love, Roger
Arthur Sanford <arthalie@webtv.net> wrote:
Subject: An Update on the Sanfords in Atherton
since this is sort of anniversary time for our being in this part of Atherton, thought I would update you all a bit on how we are doing. Nathalie has been now in Fox Hall One room 117 for a few days over two years, and I have been in The Villa room 31 for just one year this week end. Fox Hall is the Skilled Nursing Area-where the resident gets full care 24 hours a day. While up during the day time she is confined to the wheel chair except for one period five days a week when she with the help of a therapist and a walker walks the distance of one hall way and back. The Villa is what is called a semi-independent Living Area--which means I can do mostly as I please, live alone in this room, and take care of it except Tuesday when my laundry is done for me, and Friday when the bedding is changed and room cleaned and dusted. But my medicine is in the nurses office and she gives it out each morning and evening at the right time, and the nurses also see that I am weighed once month and get my shot and blood pressure. This is a nice room and each day I bring Nathalie up here for our private devotions and reading and talking on the phone to family or just relaxing, so we spend about 4 to 5 hours a day here in this room. We together share in the activities of Atherton, all meals except Wednesday breakfast and Saturday breakfast--those are her bath days --bathing comes before she is dressed for the day so can't come to the dining room for breakfast those two
p 2 days. Physically the years do take their toll and we both feel them. we both have had Cataract surgery in both eyes and all were very successful but Macular Degeneration has hit us both and that is an other thing--is the kind that cannot be treated so far--hopefully in few years there may be help for it but for us --one doesn't go blind, just loses that little spot of vision directly in middle of the eye so is hard to read. But each night we look forward to a new day and each morning are glad we have one more day together. We are glad for Atherton, we are glad we have each other (an average gathering of folk here will be a
ratio of maybe four or five men to 20 or 25 ladies)—so there are not many couples in this part of Atherton. And I have an email address list where I can come knocking often and we have the Lord Jesus as our constant Companion SO we are VERY lucky. g-night to you all Art
5/3/2004