Curtis Cole deserved superior ending to his struggle with dental treatment
ROCHESTER — Curtis Cole and his family generally seemed content, with 1 lifetime-debilitating roadblock that never ever went absent right until the day Curtis died at age 42 — his enamel.
It was over and above heartbreaking to see Curtis’ loved ones and friends collected at Cold Springs Cemetery for his funeral Sunday, June 12. There experienced always been an air of innocence about Curtis, and you just understood his heart was in the ideal area. He beloved Kristina Foster, his childhood sweetheart and life husband or wife of extra than two many years, and their a few daughters, Joselyn, 20, Isabella, 17, and Mariah, 3. His mom, Mary Jewell, was a substantial portion of all their lives.
“We were being together for more than 24 several years,” Foster mentioned. “We under no circumstances obtained married but we experienced a few stunning daughters jointly, and we experienced a whole lot of appreciate in our family members.”
Curtis was laid to relaxation in the very same cemetery the place his grandmother, Pina Pierce, is interred. The smaller graveside services was crowded. Curtis was liked.
We satisfied Curtis past calendar year, and he agreed to be the focal issue for an in-depth story about dental treatment in New Hampshire, or, additional properly, the absence of dental treatment for folks who are uninsured, low profits or homeless. Dental care is out of arrive at for many operating men and women who have coverage that is inadequate, much too.
Curtis Cole’s story:Pricey dental care leads to negative teeth, inadequate health and ache for several in New Hampshire
Curtis graciously authorized us to arrive into his daily life, as journalists, along with his family. He had been struggling for years with enamel that ached and damaged his days, relationship back to troubles that begun after injuries he sustained in a motor vehicle accident at age 28. His agony affected his family daily life, as he usually could not participate in foods or situations. He could not try to eat regular food items. He would cook dinner supper for his household, then go lie down due to the agony. He experienced a truly tricky time sleeping.
It is tragic Curtis died just as he seemed on the verge of a new and enhanced existence. By the help of Medicaid, his teeth had been extracted. And by a generous, anonymous donation from a human being who go through about Curtis’ struggles on Seacoastonline, there was cash in place for the dentures he desired.
Progress has been designed, far too, on legislation in New Hampshire to assist men and women like Curtis.
It must have been a delighted ending.
Return to fantastic wellness seemed inside achieve
On Sept. 28, 2021, Curtis went to Goodwin Local community Wellbeing, and we were being there to document the elimination of his tooth. He agreed to be in pictures and movies and explain his experience, advocating for the great importance of entry to dental treatment for all people irrespective of money.
“Persons seem at you in another way when you have poor teeth,” he stated. “Plus, it would be terrific to be capable to sleep again, to consume what I want, to be absolutely free of agony.”
We visited Curtis all over again the day just before he was finding the relaxation of his tooth pulled, April 5, 2022. He was taking treatment of his youngest boy or girl, Mariah, as normal, and he posed for some portraits on the couch. His instructions had been to wait around to mend, and the up coming action would be dentures.
It under no circumstances took place. Curtis received an an infection and ended up at Frisbie Memorial Clinic. Septic shock and subsequent cardiac arrest finished his lifetime, according to his relatives. He died on Monday, May perhaps 30, Memorial Day.
Kristina, the like of his existence, said Curtis experienced been agitated in the days prior to his dying.
“I told him on that Saturday he did not seem good, that he seemed like hell and he needed to go to the crisis place. He resisted and then said he would go the future day. By Saturday evening, he was delirious. He was in the lavatory and his knees gave out. I had to assistance him to bed. When I woke up, he was again in the lavatory, yelling my identify. He was on the floor. I tried out to help him up but couldn’t. We identified as the ambulance.”
“He experienced been so unwell and we preferred him to go to the hospital,” claimed Jewell, his mother.
Kristina adopted the ambulance to the Frisbie Memorial Healthcare facility and was told she could not see him ideal away.
“I stayed for hours, in my pajamas, and when they nevertheless wouldn’t permit me see him, I went dwelling to adjust,” she claimed. “His mother came. Curtis was sedated and due to the fact of COVID only one particular of us could go in at a time. He experienced a 104-diploma temperature and his blood sugar was lower. … They claimed there was terrible an infection in his gums. We saved telling Curtis he was a fighter — he could do this.”
Kristina said she expected Curtis to be taken off sedation Monday, May perhaps 30, the working day his fight finished. At 3 a.m., the clinic named to say Curtis was going downhill.
“His kidneys were being slowing down,” Kristina explained. “He went into cardiac arrest.”
Goodwin Local community Wellbeing can’t comment on Curtis’ dental treatment because of to privacy rules. “We are saddened to listen to the news,” claimed Laura Drolet, a spokesperson. “We will be reaching out to the relatives.”
The anonymous donor who experienced available to spend for dentures for Curtis was stunned when she was instructed about his death. Years in the past, when she didn’t have enough funds or adequate insurance, she desired dental care and mates aided elevate money. She desired to “spend that forward” with Curtis. She sent her condolences to Curtis’ family members, including she hopes the funds she donated can be used to enable another person else in Curtis’ problem prior to it is much too late.
Curtis was cremated. Jewell stated the Salvation Army served the spouse and children get a burial plot, and hospice chaplain the Rev. Joe Setzer executed the company.
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New Hampshire legislation could assist people today like Curtis Cole
State Sen. Cindy Rosenwald, D-Nashua, has been combating for many years to get an grownup dental reward added to New Hampshire’s Medicaid software. Now Medicaid dental insurance policy addresses only unexpected emergency care these types of as extractions. Senate Monthly bill 422 and Residence Monthly bill 103 handed and have been heading to Gov. Chris Sununu. They would offer a preventative dental treatment reward to about 100,000 point out people.
Rosenwald was aware of Curtis’ story.
“Oh which is so unhappy,” Rosenwald mentioned. “What a squander of a younger lifetime and so devastating for his loved ones. Men and women just do not know how essential oral health and fitness is.”
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Sununu vetoed equivalent laws in the previous in excess of funding concerns. He has indicated he supports this year’s model and was predicted to sign the legislation Friday, July 1.
“Growing coverage to contain dental benefits for those people on Medicaid is a little something I have long supported, but challenged the legislature to do so in a way wherever the costs are sustainable and clear,” Sununu explained in a organized statement. “I’m grateful for their operate this session achieving those people ambitions and search ahead to signing the bill.”
Men and women like Curtis are the motive the legislation is needed.
Stating goodbye substantially much too before long
Curtis’ two oldest daughters, Joselyn and Isabella Cole, lose tears at the funeral though standing upcoming to their mom, Kristina. They all wore black and used white tissues to dab the tears. It was very hot and there was a massive crowd for Curtis, 50 percent standing beneath trees that available shade.
We feel Curtis would have been delighted to see the support but perhaps embarrassed all the awareness was for him.
He was born Aug. 20, 1979 and died Could 30, 2022. His time listed here was also quick, but he produced a distinction.
