When Billy was first locked up in the county jail he was assigned a top bunk. His jumping down from it aggravated his knee. The jail never did anything.

When he was moved to the federal prison, he complained to medical that he had a bad knee. They did ex-rays and said that there was fluid on his knee and they drained it. They suggested that he was assigned a bottom bunk. In the beginning that's what he got, so his knee started doing better.

After he got out of the hole they assigned him a top bunk again, knowing that he had this knee problem and he complained. It had been acting up lately and he was caught with a chair in his cell. He told them that he couldn't jump from the top bunk to the floor and needed the chair. They wrote him up anyway. So now he has this shot.

Why can't they accomodate him with a simple request as to give him a bottom bunk? I'm worried about his knee because it has been really swollen lately and it takes forever for medical to do anything. :argh

Unfortunately, this is the game some people play. What I would suggest is that he refuses to get up on the top bunk. How? Move his mat down to the cell floor. When they come to count they will eventually say something about it.. That is when he should explain that he cannot get up to the top bunk.. It is too painful. They can't jump him due to a medical condition. "I need help" Can you CO's help me up and when I need to get down for count, please come help me then too.
I'm not trying to be funny.. I'm serious..
He should take that approach if the others won't work.

David

SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA DAVID

Billy told me a few minutes ago that they threw out the shot on him. His counselor said that he only did it as a lesson for the other inmates. Billy has a good "relationship" with his counselor and he's trying to be a "model" inmate, if there is such a thing.

His knee is still really swollen and he said that he'd go back to medical some time this week. I hope they help him this time.

Denise,
I'm sorry to hear about Billy's knee, but David has a good idea. Maybe that will help him to get a bottom bunk. Heck, they won't even let Ron know what his blood pressure is so I can help him keep track of it because there's lots of relatives on his dad's side who've either had heart surgery or high blood pressure and it agrivates me. Until I had him ask his counselor and his counselor got the BP'S for me. Silly huh?