Adequate medical care: elusive!
As a young news reporter, I smoked anything
legal that I could get my hands on: cigarettes, a pipe…even cigars. And though
I quit the nasty habit over 50 years ago, nicotine did its number on me. I live
with COPD.
That means that even a common cold can
give me some serious grief. So, when the symptoms appeared last weekend, I immediately
contacted my medical care people. I was able to get an appointment, and proper
medication, within hours.
This wonderful medical care, which we
take for granted on the outside, is in stark contrast to what our friends
behind bars must endure.
Sylvia tried to get help when she
experienced early symptoms, but that’s not the way it works for the
incarcerated. Based on her email message this morning, let us walk you through just
one episode in Michigan’s prison for women.
Well, I’m finally seeing progress in my
health problems. At first it was respiratory problems. The treatment: Alka
Seltzer. Two days in, it was nausea, stomach pain, extreme headaches and
weakness to the point I couldn’t walk. Healthcare refused to see me, and
instead insisted that I “push fluids.”
Finally, on the 7th day, an
officer contacted Healthcare and they said I could come. A nurse reviewed my
symptoms with the doctor, and he sent me to the hospital via ambulance. They
took good care of me with IV fluids, as well as pain, nausea and vitamin meds.
All symptoms stopped. I begged the doctor not to discharge me, knowing that
there would be no follow-up care in prison. He replied: “I tried, it was
denied.”
I was discharged with orders to take
magnesium, potassium, antibiotics for 6 days, along with a liquid diet, to
control nausea and pain. Yet, the only thing I received was a liquid diet. I
was on the floor of my cell, begging the officers to call Healthcare again, as
all symptoms had returned. The nurse refused: “They sent her to the hospital,
there was nothing wrong with her. Push fluids.”
Finally, after 12 days, food was good
to my body.
Many of us have had similar problems.
It’s upsetting to see these people crying and needing basic medications, only
to be told to “push fluids.”
Sylvia’s getting back to her routine
now, as a busy person involved in numerous projects. She says she has a lot of
paperwork to do, must get to her ironing, and wants to do some walking.
A little extra time is all it will take
with Jesus.
Our office is flooded with stories like
this. In a typical month, we will receive 200-250 messages via letter, email
and telephone, regarding inadequate or inappropriate healthcare in Michigan
prisons.
Jesus is available to them. Medical
care is more elusive.
Comments