…all I want for Christmas…

(Trinidad Express) ALL I want for Christmas are my teeth!

This is the wish of Randolph Roberts, 59, of Oropune Gardens, Piarco, whose dentures went missing at Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) in Mount Hope in October.
Since then, Roberts, a cancer patient, has been unable to talk properly or eat solid food without first liquefying it.
Last week Thursday, Roberts attended a North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) public meeting, where he emotionally delivered the story of his lost dentures and the lack of concern from hospital staff to find or replace them.
NCRHA chairman Dr Shehenaz Mohammed and acting chief executive officer Kumar Boodram immediately took action and assured Roberts that he will get his teeth for Christmas.
Roberts said a head nurse from the hospital visited him at his Oropune home and again assured he would get his teeth.
Last Friday, Boodram also visited Roberts’ home and gave him a wheelchair. “I said to him, I want my teeth, I want my teeth, I want my teeth for Christmas because I want to eat a piece of ham,” said Roberts.
Mohammed, when contacted by phone, said that Roberts will be getting his dentures before Christmas.
“The measurements will be taken and Mr Roberts’ dentures shall be available in about ten days’ time. We will ensure that he gets it before Christmas so he can enjoy his Christmas meal,” said Mohammed.
Mohammed advised that patients with dentures walk with suitable containers for storage as cleaning staff will easily remove styrotex cups in the cleaning process.