May 9, 2020: Being deprived of proper healthcare isn't part of my sentence

Thank you to everyone who are keeping us in your thoughts and prayers in the free-world. Thank you for your words of encouragement Jen, Meagan C., Jeannie, Literata, Janice, Claire, Kathryn, Janice, Bonnie, and Katie (aka Mellow). You are all definitely our 'lifelines'.

Thoughts from the prison-world.

We want to be appreciative, and not be all negative about our circumstances, and about the judicial system, but, though seemingly patient, REALITY has a memorable face and a loud voice. Of course arguments can be made for some in prison who have had evidence to disprove allegations, took their cases to trial, yet were convicted anyway? I can personally speak from that perspective, and for this I tend to look at the judicial system with suspicion. The 'reality' is that somewhere down the historical prison road, the judicial system became a money making industry, and an advantage for politics. Two of the biggest things about the judicial system that should arouse concern is the motivation to make money, and save money. If there are financial incentives for convictions by the prosecution and plea bargains by the defense, should not this idea of justice be questionable? If management personnel of prison food service companies such as Aramark are financially rewarded for keeping down food costs, how will this not affect the quality and quantity of the food being served to inmates?

I have personally seen produce packaging stamped 'Not meant for human consumption'. With the problem of over crowding (warehousing), another area of extreme concern should be the condition of medical services provided to inmates, and the use of unreliable, low cost medical equipment, such as glucose meters especially. Some diabetics have said if they went with the first reading of the blood sugar meter reading, they would have been given an overdose of insulin. I know there are guy's in far worse medical condition than myself, this speaks for them as well.

I have needed inguinal hernia surgery for eight years. It is a painful, discomforting, lifestyle-altering ordeal. I have been told by medical staff at this institution that nothing will be done until it becomes life threatening. To me that means, not only is my life in danger, there is also the danger of septic poisoning and infection if the intestine should burst. When our sentence was handed down by the Judge, being deprived of proper healthcare was not included as part of our punishment. But what the heck, if it can save some state official a few bucks, or insure some political popularity, who cares? We're just inmates. But what outrage would it spark if one of those state officials were being denied medical treatment? Thoughts from the prison-world.