I'm writing again...but I'm not happy!

The climate in this country is noxious!  It’s doing nobody any good, I swear.

People look at our blog site…no new entries.  Honestly, I don’t even feel like writing!  My job, and the job of this fine group of people working with me, is to care for people…and it keeps feeling like nobody cares for people anywhere anymore!  When it happens on the national level, I get the sinking feeling that maybe nobody cares down here, either.

Annie’s still in a wheelchair in the women’s prison, and still missing lunches because she can get no one to push the chair for her, and the staff members insist that she must find her own pusher.

Danny is innocent, and a former Parole Board member not only knows it but has information that could help Danny obtain freedom.  But he won’t respond.

David has sleep apnea, and he needs a C-Pap.  He had one before he came to prison three years ago, but a prison doctor said his problem wasn’t all that serious and they made him send the equipment home.  He’s waking up gasping, our doctors say the situation is life-threatening, but nobody’s doing anything!

Sara came to prison two years ago with a temporary upper plate…it wasn’t meant to last and finally broke.  Now she can hardly eat.  The prison dentist says she must wait two years for a replacement.

Billy was scheduled to get a compassionate release from the Parole Board because he has terminal cancer, but now a prison medical person with questionable credentials said this is a lie, so the Parole Board refused his release.

Linda is a diabetic whose blood sugar levels are so out of balance it’s life threatening…but no one is listening.

I just want you to know that, regardless of what is happening on the national level---and I know that it’s all terribly important to all of us---crap is still happening on the local level, too!  And one agency that I know of is handling a record number of more than 300 calls a month to try to respond!

We’re blessed to have a battery of volunteers and professionals willing to step up to the plate, and we’re doing our best to not only deal with issues, but let prisoners know that someone cares. Even if we can't solve every problem, kindness and compassion work wonders.  

It’s our role:  seeking to model Jesus, touching lives.

We need you, too.  Prayers.  Money.  Even just attaboys!

Comments

Greg said…
39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[a] you did it to me.’
Bob Bulten said…
Amen to Greg on his Matthew 25 quote. Doug, despite all the discouraging news and treatment that our friends in prison are receiving, it is the work of HFP that remind us that Jesus is still Lord. Attaboy!!
JUSTICEBYLOVE said…
1) Annie needs to request shift command if there are no wheelchair aids to push her and the officers are not assisting her in finding one. Once shift command is requested they are to be immediately called according to policy. Important note: shift command is a lieutenant not a sergeant.
a. Or Annie could ask the officer on duty if someone (an inmate) who has extra duty can push her until they fill the position of a wheelchair aid in the unit.
b. Annie can also speak to a lieutenant in the chow hall during each meal time and tell them about her issue.
c. Document, Document, Document.

2) Sara can seek repair of her partial before 2 years if it is an emergency issue. The problem in prison is there are many people w/o teeth and it is not considered an emergency situation. However if she came to prison 2 years ago she should now be able to get a replacement partial.
a. If Sara has the resources I believe family can seek dental care for her outside of the prison with approval of the prison.
b. Document, Document, Document

3) With Linda the most that can be said is sadly most often it will take a drastic circumstance for her to receive treatment. Which can inc. "passing out" laying on the floor while others inform the officer. At which time they will get you a wheelchair and take you to medical.

Disclaimer: The above was provided purely for informational purposes. It is not considered to be legal advice. If you have legal questions you should seek legal assistance from an attorney. The communication has been provided and is protected by and through the free speech clause of the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America.

Hopefully you will find the information helpful. God Bless you Doug and the Team at Humanity For Prisoners. Keep up the great work! It truly means more than can ever be expressed in words.
Justice4Dan said…
Wish I could help more. Doug there are a lot of supporters out there and hopefully things will change. Praying for it.
j.c. said…
Hi - thanks to Doug and JusticeByLove for writing about Sara. She is my friend and I am trying to help her. Matt helped me get together a letter to Health Services and the Warden which I am sending today.

I just want to clarify. It is not an upper partial, it is a full upper denture. It was a temporary one and it broke. She asked them if they could try to glue it and they refused even that. She stated she does have money to pay for a new one and was told, "No, you can't have a new one because not everyone has money and that wouldn't be fair."

Hopefully this letter will help get things moving. I am hoping they will replace it through dental within the prison as it would be cheaper and she doesn't have unlimited money. They said it would be $250 per hour for the guards to take her to a private dentist. We will go that route if push comes to shove.

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