Lenroy “Lumma” Hazelwood, who recently came public about the partial paralysis in his face following what he called a simple medical procedure for an ear infection, is back in the Mount St John’s Medical Centre (MSJMC) with persistent pain and other symptoms that are making life extremely difficult for him.
The head of the Antigua and Barbuda Association of Persons living with Disabilities, Bernard Warner, who spoke on Hazelwood’s behalf, said the man is in bad shape and is hoping he would get the government’s assistance to go overseas for medical care.
According to him, the hospital reached out to Hazelwood shortly after he spoke about his medical issues late last month during an interview on OBSERVER Radio. He was admitted right away after the authorities discovered the extent of his medical issues, to include paralysis in the left side of the face, the inability to eat as accustomed, and the associated weight loss, among other conditions.
Warner said, “I am aware that correspondence was sent to Jamaica and he is waiting on all of his documents to get airfare and the cost for his surgery, and that’s what we are waiting on right now. We are appealing to the government to finance the cost for his surgery overseas.
“We spoke with the resource officer at Mount St. John’s who indicated to us that she received a bill for the surgery.”
Warner said the hospital official advised him that the authorities are awaiting the information on transportation and accommodation costs, and then those would be submitted to the government to ask for assistance.
According to Warner, Hazelwood “is at his lowest in his life now where he is unable to eat. He is in constant pain, he has been drooling, he can’t swallow his saliva, he lost a lot of weight, he is unable to eat properly. I think his whole sense of being has been affected, being a man, a proud man, a strong man, somebody who provided for himself or someone who is independent, is now fully dependent.”
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