Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Do No Harm by Inmate #2

The Hippocratic oath instructs doctors to do no harm. That doesn't apply here. They send you here knowing they can't provide the services needed to provide you with even substandard health care - the health care provided here at Carswell is way below substandard. I have been here since Nov 1, 2017. I have MS, diabetes, high blood pressure, a heart murmur, irregular heartbeat, I have had a stroke (2011) after bilateral knee surgery, a TIA (2012) and A-fib (2015). I have neuropathy (very painful neuropathy), kidney function issues and occasional gout which is also very painful. 

The doctors here will not give medication (which your civilian doctors have spent years finding the right combination that works for you) contrary to what you were taking before arriving. They changed my blood pressure medication to an antiquated medication that doesn't work for me and raises my potassium levels. There is no pain medication available - I was taking gabapentin for the neuropathy (which worked) but I was told that I couldn't get that and they want me to try Cymbalta first - which has very adverse liver issues and I had a friend who died (liver failure) after taking the medication. I have MS - Drs don't prescribe medication that affect organs as part of the adverse affects. The last time I stood in the pharmacy line - 4 people in front of me filled prescriptions for gabapentin. I came in on that medication so why can't I get it? 

I also have been in a blood thinner since my stroke (so I don't have another one). I have been here 110 days and have yet to get my blood thinner. They want me to try Coumadin - which my civilian heart doctor said Hell NO! Because I am dietary restricted from the MS already - my regular diet won't support Coumadin so they put me on Eliquis which the BOP says I can't have. They want to try Coumadin to prove the diet won't support it. What the hell! My heart doctor said NO!  So 110 days later i still don't have medication.  I also was on a medication that stops my heart from beating too fast. It reduces the risk of more A-fib. Don't have that medication either. I have had several small episodes of A-fib since I have been here but by the time I get to medical it has ceased as had the rapid heartbeat when I have went (I told them when I arrived at medical my heart was beating too fast and they made me sit in the waiting room for 45 min before I was seen and of course by then it has calmed down some - my sitting heart rate is 15 to 25 beats faster than my civilian Dr wants it to be. But getting medication is next to impossible.

Alberto Garcia the assistant to head of Health Services made me a December appointment to see my Dr. That appointment disappeared. I was told in December that I had a February appointment - guess what - I went today to see when my appointment is and that appointment has disappeared also.  I should be having blood work and Dr appt NOW but it is not going to happen.  I will be lucky if this place doesn't kill me. I have some serious health issues that these people won't address other to tell me they can't help me. 

I was told by their PA that they don't have medications in the pharmacy to prescribe for everyday maladies. They have no antihistamines - they tell you to buy them off commissary - I can't - I took one allergy pill and thought my heart was going to explode and it felt like I was coming out of my skin - there are no alternatives. They don't have allergy pills, sprays, liquids or any form except Flonase which I can't take. So here I sit miserable, sick and unable to get treatment. If an inmate had an allergic reaction, there is no epi-pen to treat an emergency.

I went to sick call because my ear drum burst (I suspect because of blood pressure) but I woke up in the middle of the night with blood coming out of my ear. That was the 3rd course of antibiotics in 90 days - they gave me cotton balls and told me to keep it dry. Pretty much all they can do.

Another tidbit: One of the girls I play cards with lives in a room with a crack in the foundation and every time it rains, her room floods (and Carswell knows about it) also she was in another room that had a crack near the ceiling and water would run down the wall and flood their room when it rained.  Another person was telling me her window leaks and floods her room when it rains - breeding ground for asthma, mold, mildew, colds and a host of other ailments. They gave my friend blankets to put down on the floor along the wall to sop the water but when they get wet it floods the rest of the room - her laundry is soaked, her shoes are wet...what a nightmare. And all they want to do is give her towels (they don't have anymore blankets) and it rained really hard here today. This place is dangerous.

Monday, February 19, 2018

True Incarceration by Inmate #2

I self surrendered Nov 1 for 3 years and a day for a crime I didn't commit. More on that later.
The address on the website takes you to the back gate you can't get in. I finally called the lawyer who called the the Uber driver with directions. I was told the website has been wrong for over 5 years. Neither here nor there.

I was put in a room called the bus stop (an observation room with large windows and 10 beds) on the 2nd floor of 1 North. I could barely walk because my hip was out - there are absolutely NO chiropractic services here. To get downstairs I have to use the elevator. There is a door controlling access to the elevator both on the floor and on the ground floor. I have been allowed through one door but not through the ground floor door so when I went back to my room the 2nd floor door was locked - literally locking me OUT of my room and I had to wait until the guard decided to let me up or down. Then some weekends the weekend guard would not unlock top or bottom door to allow me down to go to lunch - and at that time I didn't have much commissary so I was literally locked IN my room. The guard said if you want downstairs use the stairs...........UH NO! The 3rd day I was here I was in so much pain I absolutely could not walk without support. The unit guard that day went to the unit next door and got me a transport chair - has small wheels (no wheelchair wheels, no foot rests, brakes) but no one to push me so I stooped over and used the chair like a walker - still in serious pain and medical would NOT see me because it wasn't an emergency and they will NOT prescribe pain pills for ANYTHING!!. I had this chair until Dec 9th. The distance to the main building from the unit is over 1000 steps. EVERYTHING is in the main bldg, medical, laundry, cafeteria, commissary, optical, psychology, pill line, blood sugar check (story for another time), education, both libraries.........you name it - it is in the main bldg.

So if you have call out (appts (at their discretion and on their time) and they are hours apart you cannot go to the main bldg for one and wait for the next one - they will write you up (a shot) for being out of bounds - doesn't matter that you can't walk and can barely hobble. Three times someone in main line (the line up of officers - warden, health services, cafeteria boss, nutrition, compound, every dept has an officer in main line) would threaten to take the transport chair and just leave me hanging. Mrs. McMannis (head of health services) told me one day that the chair was unsafe and I told her if she took it I would be sitting right there until they figured something else out. One day she stopped me and told me to come to her office the next morning. When I got there she got on the phone with rehab services and got me an appt for 1:45 pm THAT day. I was given a walker - and with the vertigo and the hip I was happy with the walker but I was sent back to my unit to my room on the 2nd floor and limited access to services.  Computers, TVs, phones, unit offices, unit library, game room, and sports and news TV lounge are all on the 1st floor. So when I was locked upstairs I had access to NOTHING. The weekend guards were the worst because they would lock me out from lunch too. One guard said, I didn't know you were up here - and that is my fault? Isn't it her duty to know who is on her unit and the special conditions residing there? A few days ago they did some room shuffling and sent some people up to the second floor that need access to the elevators and they are pulling the same sh*t again - limited access to 1st floor. I was moved downstairs just before Christmas - I'll get you an exact date.  Isn't this considered cruel and unusual punishment? I don't think it was supposed to be part of my prison experience.

I tried to get an Form 8 to write a complaint but nobody (none of the counselors) seemed to be able to get me one and I was locked out of my email and phone for over a month (another story later) but I was literally locked out of communication capabilities during this whole episode. Life is better (if it can be in prison) than it was now that I am downstairs (somewhat).

I know this has been a roundabout explanation of this awful experience but the devil is in the details.

Expired Food Being Served by Inmate #2

I'll start with things that frighten me the worst.

On weekends we have scrambled eggs (sometimes real eggs but usually powdered or liquid) and potatoes (either hash rounds (if baked they are crumbled and half raw or deep fried which are at least edible) or oven fried potato chunks that are done but neve brown and usually greasy) and on Saturday we have turkey bacon - once in a great while sausage patties or links. Last Saturday (not yesterday but a week ago) our kitchen bunkie came back from work - usually between 7 or 8 for a short break - and told us not to eat the turkey bacon - it expired in 2016 - not 2017 but 2016 - she doubled checked to make sure. On Wednesday (this one past) they were supposed to serve fries or waffle fries or some sort of potato and they gave out potatoe chips that had expired Oct 20th 2017 - the same chips they have served 3 times including Thanksgiving and with our Christmas bags and one other time we got a box lunch because of a holiday (in Jan). The frightening part is we have no clue about the safety and sanitary of our food. The last time they served sausage patties (two days in a row) they tasted freezer burnt so who knows how long food is stored before using. And another kitchen issue is the kitchen is bug infested. Roaches everywhere - in the bread and on the counters and even one day one was walking across the glass in front of the serving line. They flick it off and keep on serving.   I don't eat in our cafeteria much (probably not more than 7 MEALS a week) because I have MS and a large dietary restriction (of my own choosing) to help deal with my MS - but I can tell you - it is a good thing because I am scared of the safety of hte food we eat.

Hold Your Breath While Waiting For Medical Tests by Inmate #1

Today was fairly uneventful. To be fair, I have been extremely sick the last few days and have rested a lot. Today was no exception. The close quarters are making everyone sick with a cold or flu which just gets passed around from person to person. There is no medication that you can obtain if you are feeling sick like a cold and if you have the flu, the who room gets quarantined in the shoo (which is an actual cell with a exposed bathroom and sink - usually you only go there if you are in trouble.)
Breakfast was skipped, lunch was eggs and cold French toast and dinner was bbq shredded chicken with tater tots. Dinner was decent. The food and environment has been upsetting my stomach from day one. Let's just say, its not fun to be running to the restroom every morning thanks to a very upset stomach.

The guards yesterday were ok so nothing to complain about there. They did their jobs but were not jerks and actually let me rest. Some guards are infamous for kicking you out of your bunk in the day time if you are trying to sleep. Let's see, I am very sick and anemic - can I go rest now? At that point, isn't it a medical issue? Can I get them in trouble if they do it?

I am still waiting to receive my lab results from blood drawn almost a week and a half ago. Usually it comes back in a few days and you meet with the doctor. I think mine is taking longer since I insisted to the idiot that was setting it up that I needed a iron panel done. I am bariatrically anemic and it's the entire reason I am here so why do I need to practically beg you to run the iron test??? I cannot absorb iron in my stomach so I need infusions. The iron panel will show my levels are tanking and need the infusion. She seemed to not understand what I was trying to say which is ridiculous considering she is a PA (physician's assistant). Her solution was to hand me over the counter iron tablets to take twice daily.. How incredibly stupid are you?

At the end of every day, I am amazed that I made it through another one. I am just ticking off days of my six month sentence. I am just hoping the SEVERE lack of medical does not kill me before the 6 months are complete. Why and how is this place still open?

Building Leaks and Prison Drama by Inmate #1

It's raining here this morning at Carswell and that is not a good thing. This means flattened cardboard boxes are in front of the doors that lead in and out. How are wheelchairs and walkers suppossed to go over that easily??? While walking to lunch I overheard over inmates in my same housing unit complaining about the rain because they have a leak in the room on the floor when it rains. They have repeatedly told staff and are ignored so they have put cardboard and towels on the floor of their room.
When I enter the main building, I see there are leaks in there as well. They have a whole area with mop buckets and towels. The other idiot inmates are not walking around this area but are in fact just climbing over them. There is barely enough clear area for anyone with a wheelchair to go around. How does this place expect those people to get to the meal room???

The afternoon is uneventful as I am sick so I did not do very much. However the Saturday night crowd gets going early. The excitement is jumpstarted with an inmate having an asthma attack. The guard did the appropriate response and called to get her out of here and sent to medical immediately. The kicker of it was it was FAKE! The inmate faked the asthma attack so her friend could get her girlfriend from another unit out of here after having sex in the upstairs showers.

I went back to sleep and woke up about five minutes before last count. I didn't have enough time to run to the restrooms so I waited figuring 10 more minutes wasn't going to kill me. I was wrong because once count finished, we were punished. No banyo for another 15 minutes. Seriously? I am five years old??? Add to that the guard cracking up when she imposed it didn't help the matter. Another day in paradise...

Dinner was called incorrectly. Instead of calling all the units based upon their rankings, they called last call which meant everuone. about 600 people ran to the meal room. I walked, got in line, realized it would be forever until I ate and then walked back up te stairs and left. My dinner became instant cheese rice, veggie flakes and a little bit of instant beans cooked with hot water in the housing unit.

You Need A Resume To Get a Job in Prison by Inmate #1

As I wake up everyday I am unsure of what the day will bring. I am a planner so I always have plans and after almost two weeks here, I am starting to form a routine. I skip morning meal almost every day as it usually consists of some awful version of oatmeal, grits or a pastry. This morning was no different. The ice machine in our unit was being emptied for the past 2 days and almost everyone is desperate for ice at this point. Since most of them do not leave housing outside of food and get to the recreation center, they are unaware you can get ice there from that large machine. Score one for me as I visit the recreation center multiple times per day. I would normally be helpful and let people know but seriously this is prison, you keep to yourself.

My big plan of the day was to get an extension from my counselor to have my 3 jobs applications reviewed. Its odd but if you don't want to end up in the kitchen when you get here, you need to quickly hustle your way into another open position. I found three in the education department that I am qualified for. You have to not only provide resumes but write essays as to why you would be a good fit for that position plus a resume and a test. I have all the steps completed but the people over those jobs were in training all last week so they will not be back till Tuesday. I need to let her know this cause once assigned, you cannot change your job for 90 days. I have 6 months so that would be half my time pissed away in a kitchen instead of doing something meaningful in the education department.

My plan went sidetrack thanks to my counselor being an ass. She had open house hours from 1245 to 145. Open house is when anyone can go see her without an appointment. She ran extremely late to her open house and although I had been waiting 45 minutes (and second in line), she said she only wanted to see the 3 people she had asked to come see her that day. This is the very opposite of open house and I was pissed beyond belief. I had waited, played by the rules and I still may not see her in time to get her to understand why I have not been hired so she will put me in kitchen. I was so angry I actually changed quickly and ran to the rec building since I was worried I would say something to the asshole guard on duty. Our guards change every 12 hours I think and this guy was a real gem. In fact, I would rate him one of the biggest assholes here so far. He keep harassing people in my unit for no reason about sleeping after 730 which you can do if you have cleaned your room that morning, etc. He harassed me cause I was sitting on the floor of my house. He said, do you live here? Which one is your bunk? I told him and then he asked which locker was mine and made me prove it by unlocking the lock in front of him. In addition, he kept opening doors late. We have 10 minutes per hour to move from place to place, he would open the door 8 minutes into it so now you had 2. REALLY???
I went to rec for a while and listened to music. Later I would return to rec and workout. They have an extensive DVD collection for you to choose from however the workout room sucks. 4 TVs all with no mute and everyone working out next to each other. Not ideal but workable. The other frustrating part is they only have a few sets of weights..

Came back from working out and watched the rest of the movie on the TV "Happy Death Day". I had seen it before coming here so it was both nice to rewatch and hard at the same time. I so want to be on my couch at home with the hubby and the fur kids watching a movie not in a crazy prison dorm environment with headphones sitting on a plastic chair.

Count went as normal at around 10. Bed came next. Hard to sleep though cause it's really hot in the housing units right now. I feel like its on purpose to keep us as uncomfortable as possible with as little rest as possible.

Introduction

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with FMC Carswell, the United States government, or the Federal Bureau of Prisons. I am a private citizen who is writing for the sole purpose of exposing the truth of substandard care within the Federal prison system, but specifically at FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas.

I have started this blog on behalf of someone who has been accused of a Federal crime and has been wrongfully incarcerated for 6 months. This person has special medical needs and was assigned to FMC Carswell because ON PAPER, it is known as the ONLY Federal prison for female inmates in need of special medical attention for physical and or/mental health. However, if you do a basic google search of this facility, you will find evidence dating as far back as the year 2000 that reveals reports of inmate abuse, lack of medical attention, health violations, and substandard health care, just to name some the main issues. How is it possible that all of these injustices are being done to these women, yet the complaints have been ignored by the Federal Bureau of Prisons for at least 18 years??

News investigators and private citizens have been fighting to have this shit hole dump shut down for years, yet absolutely NOTHING has been done. I feel that someone needs to speak out on behalf of these people who can't speak up for themselves. Whistleblowers in prison are not able to complain without placing themselves in serious danger. So this is why I am here as an outside voice.

Some of you may feel that because a person was convicted of a felony, that they should get what they deserve, or that they deserve what they get. But remember that people who committed non-violent crimes are mixed in with drug dealers and sex offenders. People who committed white collar crimes, and even those who were found guilty on faulty evidence are still incarcerated. Inmates are people too, and they are already being punished for their crimes. Basic human rights protect everyone, including criminals, from being dehumanized, abused, denied proper medical treatment, starved, abused, and fed rancid meat.

This blog will contain entries from two anonymous Federal inmates who have been convicted of non-violent white collar crimes. Specific details have been withheld for the protection of these two inmates. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution allows everyone the right to free speech, and this blog is a representation of that very amendment. The public has the right to know that not only has FMC Carswell been mistreating their inmates for at least two decades, but also the fact that they DO NOT offer the medical care they claim to provide for those who need it. The health of every inmate is compromised on a daily basis at this nightmare of a facility.

509 inmates are positive for Covid / Coronavirus

I have been checking the BOP website every day multiple times per day and watching the numbers of positive inmates at Carswell go up and up ...