ROCHESTER — Curtis Cole and his family usually seemed content, with just one lifestyle-debilitating roadblock that in no way went away until the day Curtis died at age 42 — his enamel.
It was outside of heartbreaking to see Curtis’ relatives and friends collected at Chilly Springs Cemetery for his funeral Sunday, June 12. There experienced constantly been an air of innocence about Curtis, and you just understood his heart was in the ideal position. He liked Kristina Foster, his childhood sweetheart and life spouse of far more than two many years, and their a few daughters, Joselyn, 20, Isabella, 17, and Mariah, 3. His mother, Mary Jewell, was a big section of all their life.
“We have been together for around 24 many years,” Foster explained. “We hardly ever acquired married but we experienced three attractive daughters together, and we had a good deal of really like in our spouse and children.”
Curtis was laid to relaxation in the exact same cemetery in which his grandmother, Pina Pierce, is interred. The modest graveside support was crowded. Curtis was cherished.
We satisfied Curtis very last calendar year, and he agreed to be the focal stage for an in-depth story about dental care in New Hampshire, or, much more accurately, the lack of dental treatment for men and women who are uninsured, reduced revenue or homeless. Dental care is out of access for numerous functioning folks who have insurance coverage that is insufficient, also.
Curtis Cole’s tale:High priced dental treatment leads to bad teeth, bad wellness and agony for numerous in New Hampshire
Curtis graciously permitted us to appear into his daily life, as journalists, along with his loved ones. He had been struggling for years with enamel that ached and damaged his days, relationship again to complications that started out after injuries he sustained in a car or truck incident at age 28. His discomfort affected his spouse and children daily life, as he typically could not take part in meals or events. He could not take in normal foods. He would prepare dinner supper for his spouse and children, then go lie down because of to the agony. He experienced a definitely challenging time sleeping.
It is tragic Curtis died just as he seemed on the verge of a new and enhanced daily life. By means of the support of Medicaid, his tooth had been extracted. And by way of a generous, anonymous donation from a person who go through about Curtis’ struggles on Seacoastonline, there was dollars in place for the dentures he wanted.
Progress has been produced, far too, on legislation in New Hampshire to aid persons like Curtis.
It should have been a delighted ending.
Return to excellent well being appeared inside of reach
On Sept. 28, 2021, Curtis went to Goodwin Local community Wellness, and we had been there to doc the elimination of his tooth. He agreed to be in images and films and explain his knowledge, advocating for the worth of obtain to dental care for everybody no matter of profits.
“People today glance at you in another way when you have bad teeth,” he mentioned. “Plus, it would be wonderful to be in a position to snooze again, to consume what I want, to be free of charge of ache.”
We visited Curtis yet again the working day right before he was obtaining the rest of his tooth pulled, April 5, 2022. He was using treatment of his youngest kid, Mariah, as common, and he posed for some portraits on the couch. His instructions have been to hold out to heal, and the following step would be dentures.
It hardly ever took place. Curtis bought an infection and ended up at Frisbie Memorial Healthcare facility. Septic shock and subsequent cardiac arrest finished his lifetime, according to his spouse and children. He died on Monday, May possibly 30, Memorial Working day.
Kristina, the like of his lifestyle, said Curtis experienced been agitated in the times in advance of his dying.
“I informed him on that Saturday he did not search excellent, that he looked like hell and he needed to go to the crisis room. He resisted and then claimed he would go the following working day. By Saturday night time, he was delirious. He was in the bathroom and his knees gave out. I had to aid him to bed. When I woke up, he was back again in the rest room, yelling my title. He was on the floor. I tried out to help him up but could not. We called the ambulance.”
“He experienced been so ill and we required him to go to the healthcare facility,” reported Jewell, his mom.
Kristina adopted the ambulance to the Frisbie Memorial Medical center and was informed she could not see him proper absent.
“I stayed for several hours, in my pajamas, and when they however would not enable me see him, I went house to change,” she said. “His mother came. Curtis was sedated and since of COVID only just one of us could go in at a time. He experienced a 104-degree temperature and his blood sugar was small. … They stated there was undesirable infection in his gums. We stored telling Curtis he was a fighter — he could do this.”
Kristina said she anticipated Curtis to be taken off sedation Monday, May 30, the working day his struggle ended. At 3 a.m., the hospital known as to say Curtis was likely downhill.
“His kidneys ended up slowing down,” Kristina claimed. “He went into cardiac arrest.”
Goodwin Community Health and fitness are not able to comment on Curtis’ dental care due to privateness regulations. “We are saddened to listen to the information,” stated Laura Drolet, a spokesperson. “We will be reaching out to the spouse and children.”
The nameless donor who experienced made available to pay for dentures for Curtis was stunned when she was instructed about his dying. Years ago, when she didn’t have more than enough income or adequate insurance, she desired dental treatment and buddies helped increase funds. She wanted to “pay back that forward” with Curtis. She despatched her condolences to Curtis’ family, incorporating she hopes the cash she donated can be made use of to support somebody else in Curtis’ situation just before it is much too late.
Curtis was cremated. Jewell explained the Salvation Military aided the household get a burial plot, and hospice chaplain the Rev. Joe Setzer executed the provider.
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New Hampshire laws could enable persons like Curtis Cole
Point out Sen. Cindy Rosenwald, D-Nashua, has been fighting for a long time to get an grownup dental profit added to New Hampshire’s Medicaid plan. At the moment Medicaid dental coverage addresses only emergency care these as extractions. Senate Monthly bill 422 and Household Invoice 103 passed and have been heading to Gov. Chris Sununu. They would provide a preventative dental treatment gain to about 100,000 point out citizens.
Rosenwald was informed of Curtis’ tale.
“Oh that is so unfortunate,” Rosenwald said. “What a waste of a youthful lifestyle and so devastating for his loved ones. Folks just do not notice how important oral overall health is.”
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Sununu vetoed comparable laws in the past about funding issues. He has indicated he supports this year’s version and was anticipated to indicator the laws Friday, July 1.
“Growing coverage to include dental rewards for those people on Medicaid is something I have long supported, but challenged the legislature to do so in a way where by the fees are sustainable and transparent,” Sununu reported in a ready statement. “I’m grateful for their function this session achieving individuals goals and seem ahead to signing the bill.”
Individuals like Curtis are the explanation the laws is essential.
Indicating goodbye a great deal as well quickly
Curtis’ two oldest daughters, Joselyn and Isabella Cole, drop tears at the funeral whilst standing future to their mom, Kristina. They all wore black and applied white tissues to dab the tears. It was very hot and there was a significant group for Curtis, 50 percent standing beneath trees that supplied shade.
We assume Curtis would have been pleased to see the service but perhaps embarrassed all the attention was for him.
He was born Aug. 20, 1979 and died May 30, 2022. His time right here was much too limited, but he manufactured a big difference.
