Medical Issues (Part 14 by Lifer Renee)

Renee Only a teenager, she received a 60-year sentence. Almost 20 years later, Renee is writing from Perryville prison in Goodyear, Arizona, providing a rare and unique insight into a women's prison.

Since you last heard from me, I’ve been to a medical-offsite visit to St. Luke’s Hospital. I am ok. I’m just in pain and the medication I’m currently receiving, well put it this way, I’m asleep half to an hour after 5 pm pill call. I am on 2 doses, one in the morning and one at night. ADOC refused surgery for my 2 herniated disks because they did not want to be “liable”. So they sent me out for a “pain management” consultation for epidermal shots with steroids and cortisone shots.

Let me tell you about my hospital trip… Monday morning, it was finally cool in the cell, and I was sound asleep when an officer keyed the door and knocked loudly. “Get up you have offsite medical in 20 minutes.” My head was foggy from the medicine. I looked at him like he had three heads.

“Renee, what are you going for?” my roommate asked.

“I don’t know. I guess the pain management shots. I need to get ready,” I replied. Scrambling and stumbling over myself, I hurried to get ready. I made a room-temperature cup of coffee, and smoked to try to clear my head. I rolled a couple of extra smokes, and made a second cup, knowing I’d regret it in a couple of hours, but I drunk it anyway.

I walked outside, past the officer as he did not give me a time limit, as he is looking at his watch. I sat at the picnic table and breathed, attempting to calm my anxiety. The officer walked in the control room and got on the phone. I finished my smoke. I walked to the control box, and asked the officer “Do I go to the V-gate or the sallyport?”

He looked at me. “They’re not ready yet. Just hang out.”

I walked away thinking I only had 20 minutes. About 15 minutes later, the officer came out of the control box. “They're ready for you, go to the sallyport.

I walk out the gate to the sallyport. I greeted a female officer who really didn’t seem happy to be there. I stripped, got belly-chained and shackled and loaded into a van.

We stopped at San Pedro Unit to pick up another inmate. I waited in the van for the next person to run through the degrading routine of stripping down, cough squatting and spread them. The van door opened and I saw D who I knew from a recent training class a few months back.

Smiles crossed our faces as we recognized one another.

“How are you?” I asked.

“Great. Have you heard what is going on at Pedro?”

“No. What?” I asked.

“10 yard is condemned. We have had no air. The roof collapsed. We haven’t had a maintenance officer since I’ve been there. I heard there were 350 outstanding work orders.”

“Where did the yard go?”

“Well they moved 10 yard to San Carlos and moved Televerde, Women in Recovery and diabetics to 8 yard.”

“Are they going to fix it?” I asked.

“They said it would take six months to a year.” She fell silent as we were pulling into San Carlos Unit to pick up two additional women.

D recognized the women as they’d recently moved from San Pedro to San Carlos. D and the other ladies began chattering. I became engrossed with the surroundings outside the van.

Before I knew it the officers picked up their firearms and we were across the street at Santa Rosa waiting to pick up another individual for our road trip. The female officer was out of the van, looming impatiently. We waited for 45 minutes before another officer told our drivers the individual we were waiting for was being released that day. We began our trip. D went to sleep. The other two were chattering in Spanish. I silently enjoyed the surrounding streets that I’ve never driven on, stores I’ve never shopped in, new cars driving by.

Late for our appointment, we arrived at St. Luke’s. We unloaded and entered the building through the back entrance. We were escorted to a waiting lobby. I was so grateful to sit down as the shackles were hell on the ankles.

A nurse silently handed us clipboards and pens and about 10 pages worth of paperwork to fill out.

We filled out the paperwork, turned it in and waited. D was called first. She was in there about a half hour, and one of the ladies from San Carlos went in for about a half hour. Finally, they called me.

I was escorted to a room with just a stretcher. I was waiting for the doctor when a nurse came in, looked at the female officer, and said, “We have to clean the lobby. We have real appointment coming in. Can the other inmates wait in here?”

My jaw hit the floor as the officer said yes.

Not wanting to protest and have my appointment rescheduled I sat silently.

Then here came the doctor.

He opened my chart, confirmed my name, and stated, “I’m not giving you pain shots.”

“Wait, why?” I replied.

“See right here on your MRI. It states you have fluid leaking and pressing against your spinal cord. If I gave you the shots, it would increase that pressure and actually cause more pain. I’m sending this back and recommending surgery.”

I was blown back. I had two officers and three inmates with me in my doctors visit. I couldn’t even form a question. The doctor saw the last person, and we were off back to Perryville. All I could think about was “fluid on my spinal cord” the entire ride back.

Two weeks went by since my last visit to St. Luke’s. This last week has been stressful. Monday we heard we – 24 yard – was moving to Santa Maria Unit and that we would be losing our jobs. We were ok with that until Televerde got involved. Now because of my job I will be moving to Santa Cruz.

Who knows who I will have for a roommate, and what yard I’ll live on. Nothing, just uprooted from a yard of 192 to a yard of 800 because ADOC want to make this yard intake, closed and maximum-security custody.

Those going to Maria were excited because they thought the yard would be open, but no wait for it, Santa Maria has 2 yards. One yard is filled with DUI (drunk driver) minimum-security inmates, and the other yard will be the medium-security inmates from 24 yard.

The funny thing about it is you have violent offenders doing life sentences about to be housed on the same unit as minimum-security DUI inmates. Make any sense to you? It is funny to me because I believe ADOC forgot that Santa Maria is the very unit C.J. Acker escaped from by walking out the front sallyport to the parking lot, and she was doing two life sentences.

What I know is my anxiety level is high, but I have all of my belongings packed. I am just waiting for a decision, a bag and a bus.
 
 
Shaun Attwood

21 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:26 AM

    Been out for a week! Lovin it! Huge culture shock though...Shane

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:26 AM

    Been out for a week! Lovin it! Huge culture shock though...Shane

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous3:08 PM

    It is through urine and feces that we purge our body of infection.
    This will ensure that you treat the right disease when you take the medication.

    Seek medical or professional help.

    Also visit my website - yeast infection after periods

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous3:09 PM

    One quick and important note: make sure you know the requirements and can get them all accomplished for your out-of-state or out-of-country wedding.
    Instead of sending your scanned invitation, it would be great if you create your own wedding website and invite your friends and relatives.

    This site helps you find vendors within your local
    area.

    Here is my web page ... wedding website Affiliate Program

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous4:49 PM

    there are lots of family dog web pages which provide totally free information on
    several unique instruction troubles. Citrus juices help in decreasing the chance of bacteria to remain
    in your dog. In 2005, Ford, a Gateway employee, decided it was time for a career change.



    Have a look at my web blog :: alpha academy of dog training atlanta

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous5:11 PM

    Play filmmakers, Celebrity Charades Amityville Horror.
    Party packages include admission, skate rentals, party favors, soda, ice cream,
    balloon bouquet and more. Traditional board games
    like musical chairs relay, dancing paper, and many others.


    Here is my web blog - 13th birthday party ideas

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous8:25 PM

    This is easy and doesn't cost the clicker money but the problem is getting these individuals together. This company sends out invites from the page to innumerable people and gets the invitations accepted. Like anything else in this world, you get what you pay for.

    Here is my webpage ... Buy Facebook Fans Cheap

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous9:38 PM

    The decor on the inside of the restaurant is absolutely beautiful.
    Local country clubs are offering trivia fun for as little as forty dollars
    per couple. 8.

    My webpage :: free pub quiz answers

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous7:37 AM

    Moreover it helps in promoting the services of various organizations.
    Out of all them the best and most used one is to buy Facebook fans.
    There are many ways of doing this and this article take a look
    at some of them.

    my website - get facebook fans

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous2:41 PM

    With a minimum of 16 dollars, you can accomplish a certain total of followers,
    that is, if you prefer monthly rates. Last year, our team expanded our team's total followers by approximately 200,000 targeted followers. In short, an online business can able to get fair ranking on major search engines and generate huge traffic by increase Twitter followers in bulk.

    Feel free to surf to my blog http://socialbears.com/twitter-followers/
    My page - get Twitter Followers

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous3:32 PM

    Especially, Facebook the social networking website that was a hub for youngsters when it was launched is now a market
    place where people not only try to flaunt their
    services and products rather try to sell their services too.
    Out of all them the best and most used one is
    to buy Facebook fans. The more Facebook fans you can make, the more followers you can get, which eventually add to your growing clientele base.


    Here is my web-site; http://socialbears.com/facebook-fans/

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous8:46 PM

    Only 1 address, while. Another tip is to start with
    the basic skills. With the Easy Walk Harness, if your dog attempts to pull forward the straps
    across the chest and shoulder blades begin to tighten.


    Here is my blog ... dog training and boarding houston

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous4:23 PM

    can be included. Pizza crust, bread, pancakes, and any food that
    contain sugar should be taken out and erased from the list of foods one can eat.
    The Paleo Gluten Free Diet has many health
    claims.

    my weblog Paleo diet and cholesterol

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous3:35 PM

    Then, cells that destroy bacteria and cell debris
    wipe out the yeast. Include about three to 4 tablespoons of
    vinegar to a bathtub stuffed with a tiny sum of warm h2o
    and only bathe in it for fifteen to twenty minutes.
    Apple-cider vinegar diluted in water kills yeast and provides temporary
    relief.

    Also visit my blog Mild yeast infection after period

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous8:09 PM

    In looking for the proper collar for the pets, things that you need to consider are safety, the
    training process as well as your convenience.
    Superdog has facilities in Sacramento, Los Angeles, San
    Francisco, Walnut Creek, Oakland, Napa, and Orange County.

    Dog Training Using Praise.

    Review my page ... Dog Training Advice Pet
    Also see my webpage > bird dog training aids

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous9:20 PM

    You should never stop investigating, researching and analysing the market to be reactive and play the main role on
    your market. By using the autoresponder, you have been in
    front of a potential customer for five days. Hours of daily internet
    marketing available.

    Have a look at my webpage: Internet Marketing Coach

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous2:21 AM

    - Set thoroughly cooked chicken aside. Pizza crust, bread,
    pancakes, and any food that contain sugar should be taken out and erased from
    the list of foods one can eat. - Vegetables are low in sodium
    less water retention.

    Also visit my website - the paleo diet and cholesterol

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous10:07 PM

    Later on, among the continued practice ending
    up will continue to be auxiliary accustomed burning the various chords.
    As an alternative, it will most likely be far more powerful for you to learn about audio and chord idea.
    These hail every little thing played getting rid of barely the
    sophisticated keys, so you ought to keep effective toward crush extra listed below barely
    a limited area of time.

    Also visit my page ... Free Piano Chords And Scales

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous12:58 AM

    DJ spins out on Saturday nights. At the end of each round read out the cumulative scores.
    Her father, Bruce Paltrow, produced the critically acclaimed TV series
    that is considered the precursor to many medical shows today, St.


    My web page; pub quiz and answers general knowledge

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous4:52 AM

    This is because they have a high number of satisfied clients who have purchased
    likes and fans in bulk and are reaping the immense
    benefits. Buy facebook fans are actually referred to now as Facebook, but often are used interchangeably.
    The first step in this regard is to make a fan page.


    my weblog zasavica.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous2:40 PM

    In this article I will teach you the basics of how to have fun learning your chords by playing out
    of a Fake Book. The sooner you memorize some chords, the easier will be for you to perform plenty of styles of music.
    ][.

    Feel free to surf to my website :: christian piano chords and lyrics

    ReplyDelete