KConnor56
07-18-2002, 11:37 PM
I recieved this & thought it important enough to post here. The thing is this is probably not an eception, or a rare occurance.------Ken
Since December 2001, Delores (³Dee²) Garcia, a woman prisoner living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, sleep apnea, hepatitis C and arthritis, has been speaking out against physical abuse, medical neglect and staff callousness in the so-called Skilled Nursing Facility at the Central California Womenıs Facility. This SNF is the only ³licensed² medical facility for women prisoners and staff there exhibit some of the worst attitudes and actions toward seriously ill and dying women prisoners.
For her courage and determination, Dee has been threatened and locked down by SNF staff. Over the past two months, CCWF has been playing a dangerous game of diesel therapy with Dee. In May, Dee was abruptly moved from the SNF at the Central California Womenıs Facility, the only prison able to treat her chronic diseases, to Valley State Prison for Women, which has only a part-time staffed unlicensed infirmary. After a month of advocacy by California Prison Focus, Justice Now and Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, Dee was returned to CCWF only to be threatened again by staff. She was told point-blank, if you continue to file grievances against staff (called ³602s²) and speak to advocates, you will be punished and sent back to Valley State Prison. Dee immediately filed a grievance against staff and on July 12, she was sent back to Valley State Prison. Medical staff at VSPW admit that they cannot adequately treat Deeıs illnesses at that prison. She requires a special diet, 24-hour oxygen and a special machine for her sleep apnea. Dee is not receiving adequate care at VSPW and must be returned to CCWF.
There is a building here at CCWF numbered 805. When you enter, it is a normal prison clinic. But there is a set of double doors marked ³out of bounds.² Behind these doors exists the ³out of sight * out of mind SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility).² We are patient-inmates housed back behind those doors * unknown by most * forgotten by many.
This is where I live. My judge sent me to prison because the CDC reassured him they could ³take care of me.² I arrived here in an ambulance from the county jail to my bed in SNF. I donıt have a yard to go outside to * only a patio where the others smoke and I canıt go. Iım on oxygen 24/7. My existence outside my room is a 100 foot hallway I canıt stop in and a dayroom.
Chronically terminally ill * fighting to breathe * three months later, they get a machine to keep me breathing at night. Seven months later -- no knee brace, no therapy to help me walk, constant pain but they can ³take care of me.² Getting the wrong medication is excused because the nurse got me ³mixed up² with another patient. Medical staff also asks me to explain my condition. Suffocating at night because of lack of air * too hot * too stuffy. Hands that wonıt open in the morning from arthritis * canıt peel my grapefruit * canıt eat * no one to help * no pain meds till 9 or 10 * theyıre too busy at 8. Needing my linens changed is called a ³comfort not a necessity² after a week.
Iım in a wheelchair, on oxygen, but we are locked down all but 3 3/4 hours a day because of ³security.² The lockdown began amazingly, at the time we filed some 602s (grievances) about conditions.
Diet meals that serve salt to low sodium diets, sugar to diabetics, fried chicken and ice cream to low cholesterol diets. Vegetables cooked to mush, ³salad² consisting of a handful of iceburg lettuce, yet the staff physician says we donıt need vitamins.
Doctor visits * must request him to see you * must talk fast because you have less than 1-3 minutes with him. Want to know how you are * what the results of your tests are * ask again * he has no pen * no chart * no memory * yes ³they take care of me.²
602 the situation * they donıt go past the doors. Compassionate release * they donıt know how long I will exist * six years * six days * you canıt predict my disease. Doctor says * needs second opinion * send me to the hospital * Iım still here * didnıt go anywhere. My judge sent me here with my disease * he didnıt understand it either. Now my heartıs enlarged * I get weaker day by day. I lay in my bed now and wonder * is six feet under their way to ³take care of me?²
Delores Garcia, W91206
Valley State Prison for Women
P.O. Box 92, OPHU-Infirmary
Chowchilla, CA 93610
We ask that you fax a letter today or make a phone call to the Director of the California Department of Corrections Ed Alameida demanding that he intervene and return Dee to the SNF at the Central California Womenıs Facility. Dee should be rewarded for standing up to medical neglect and physical abuse directed against all women in the SNF. Below is a sample short message or fax.
Director Ed Alameida, California Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 942883, Sacramento, CA 94283
Phone: (916) 445-7688; Fax: (916) 322-2877
We demand an end to the retaliation against Delores Garcia, W91206, a woman prisoner now incarcerated at Valley State Prison for Women. Ms. Garcia needs to be returned to the Central California Womenıs Facility and housed in the Skilled Nursing Facility where her medical needs can be met. SNFstaff continue to retaliate against Ms. Garcia and all women prisoners who speak out against the mistreatment and poor care. We demand an immediate investigation into serious problems of medical neglect, physical abuse and staff callousness toward seriously ill and dying women at CCWFıs Skilled Nursing Facility.
Since December 2001, Delores (³Dee²) Garcia, a woman prisoner living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, sleep apnea, hepatitis C and arthritis, has been speaking out against physical abuse, medical neglect and staff callousness in the so-called Skilled Nursing Facility at the Central California Womenıs Facility. This SNF is the only ³licensed² medical facility for women prisoners and staff there exhibit some of the worst attitudes and actions toward seriously ill and dying women prisoners.
For her courage and determination, Dee has been threatened and locked down by SNF staff. Over the past two months, CCWF has been playing a dangerous game of diesel therapy with Dee. In May, Dee was abruptly moved from the SNF at the Central California Womenıs Facility, the only prison able to treat her chronic diseases, to Valley State Prison for Women, which has only a part-time staffed unlicensed infirmary. After a month of advocacy by California Prison Focus, Justice Now and Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, Dee was returned to CCWF only to be threatened again by staff. She was told point-blank, if you continue to file grievances against staff (called ³602s²) and speak to advocates, you will be punished and sent back to Valley State Prison. Dee immediately filed a grievance against staff and on July 12, she was sent back to Valley State Prison. Medical staff at VSPW admit that they cannot adequately treat Deeıs illnesses at that prison. She requires a special diet, 24-hour oxygen and a special machine for her sleep apnea. Dee is not receiving adequate care at VSPW and must be returned to CCWF.
There is a building here at CCWF numbered 805. When you enter, it is a normal prison clinic. But there is a set of double doors marked ³out of bounds.² Behind these doors exists the ³out of sight * out of mind SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility).² We are patient-inmates housed back behind those doors * unknown by most * forgotten by many.
This is where I live. My judge sent me to prison because the CDC reassured him they could ³take care of me.² I arrived here in an ambulance from the county jail to my bed in SNF. I donıt have a yard to go outside to * only a patio where the others smoke and I canıt go. Iım on oxygen 24/7. My existence outside my room is a 100 foot hallway I canıt stop in and a dayroom.
Chronically terminally ill * fighting to breathe * three months later, they get a machine to keep me breathing at night. Seven months later -- no knee brace, no therapy to help me walk, constant pain but they can ³take care of me.² Getting the wrong medication is excused because the nurse got me ³mixed up² with another patient. Medical staff also asks me to explain my condition. Suffocating at night because of lack of air * too hot * too stuffy. Hands that wonıt open in the morning from arthritis * canıt peel my grapefruit * canıt eat * no one to help * no pain meds till 9 or 10 * theyıre too busy at 8. Needing my linens changed is called a ³comfort not a necessity² after a week.
Iım in a wheelchair, on oxygen, but we are locked down all but 3 3/4 hours a day because of ³security.² The lockdown began amazingly, at the time we filed some 602s (grievances) about conditions.
Diet meals that serve salt to low sodium diets, sugar to diabetics, fried chicken and ice cream to low cholesterol diets. Vegetables cooked to mush, ³salad² consisting of a handful of iceburg lettuce, yet the staff physician says we donıt need vitamins.
Doctor visits * must request him to see you * must talk fast because you have less than 1-3 minutes with him. Want to know how you are * what the results of your tests are * ask again * he has no pen * no chart * no memory * yes ³they take care of me.²
602 the situation * they donıt go past the doors. Compassionate release * they donıt know how long I will exist * six years * six days * you canıt predict my disease. Doctor says * needs second opinion * send me to the hospital * Iım still here * didnıt go anywhere. My judge sent me here with my disease * he didnıt understand it either. Now my heartıs enlarged * I get weaker day by day. I lay in my bed now and wonder * is six feet under their way to ³take care of me?²
Delores Garcia, W91206
Valley State Prison for Women
P.O. Box 92, OPHU-Infirmary
Chowchilla, CA 93610
We ask that you fax a letter today or make a phone call to the Director of the California Department of Corrections Ed Alameida demanding that he intervene and return Dee to the SNF at the Central California Womenıs Facility. Dee should be rewarded for standing up to medical neglect and physical abuse directed against all women in the SNF. Below is a sample short message or fax.
Director Ed Alameida, California Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 942883, Sacramento, CA 94283
Phone: (916) 445-7688; Fax: (916) 322-2877
We demand an end to the retaliation against Delores Garcia, W91206, a woman prisoner now incarcerated at Valley State Prison for Women. Ms. Garcia needs to be returned to the Central California Womenıs Facility and housed in the Skilled Nursing Facility where her medical needs can be met. SNFstaff continue to retaliate against Ms. Garcia and all women prisoners who speak out against the mistreatment and poor care. We demand an immediate investigation into serious problems of medical neglect, physical abuse and staff callousness toward seriously ill and dying women at CCWFıs Skilled Nursing Facility.