Operation Healthy Delta: Daily Notebook | Day 4

It has been established that the need for affordable dental care is very high in the Delta region, and the personnel of Operation Healthy Delta have found this to be the most prominent issue facing citizens lacking in health care.

Rickie Cole, who talked with the CN while waiting for his second Operation dental appointment on Thursday, is no exception. Cole is employed by the city of Blytheville's Wastewater Department, and has been in need of major dental work since 1981, when an accident damaged his teeth.

"I was working on a farm and a combine fell on my head," he said. "I was temporarily dead but I was revived ... the nerves to all of my teeth died, though, and they just slowly started to fall out over the years."

Cole is a single father of 18-year-old twins, one of whom lives with spina bifida, and has not been able to afford the expense of having his teeth pulled and getting fitted for dentures. Thanks to Operation Healthy Delta, he has been able to have all of his remaining teeth pulled for free, and will be able to get the dentures himself.

"This is something I really needed, have needed for a long time, but I just couldn't make it happen," he said. "Without this service, I would just be continuing to live with this problem."

On Thursday, Aug. 8, 104 patients received free medical care through the Operation at Great River Charitable Clinic:

-- 61 medical assessments

-- 32 lab work

-- 24 sports physicals

-- 45 dental patients received 106 extractions and 70 X-rays

-- 75 mental health patients were seen

-- 28 received medical referrals

-- 10 received mental health referrals

-- 37 received prescriptions (no medication dispensed)

-- 58 received optometry exams

Sgt. Feliciano Perez said tafter today (Friday), no more optometry work will be done in Blytheville. Area residents still in need of eye exams and glasses can attend the Operation's clinic in Hayti, Miss., Hayti High School, 500 Forbes St. Perez added that this location is taking optometry patients on a first-come, first-served basis, but no children will be turned away. Those who still need to pick up their glasses at the Blytheville location must do so before noon on any day for the remainder of the Operation.

Medical, dental and mental health patients are still encouraged to visit the Blytheville location at the Kindergarten Center's Multipurpose building on Byrum Road, beginning at 9 a.m. each day through Tuesday, Aug. 13.

For more information on the Operation or to submit direct questions, visit www.operationhealthydelta.webs.com.

A woman gets an eye examination Thursday during Operation Healthy Delta. After today, optometery work will not be done in Blytheville via the Operation. Those in need of eye exams can attend the Operation's clinic in Hayti, Mo.

sharris@blythevillecourier.com