(written on April 4, 2020): If I had known that I was going to be put in the Hole (Segregation), I would never had said anything. Up to this point (Saturday, April 4, 2020), anybody that was suspected of being exposed to or contracting COVID-19 was being put in Education; in the class rooms, in groups of ten. For me, a person who suffers from anxiety and depression (especially in confinement-cells), this was ideal for me. The moment I heard that I was going to O-Block, my anxiety spiked. I stressed to the nurse that I have this issue, and the best she could do was get me an appointment to see Mental Health ASAP so to renew my subscription for medication that helped keep me calm (which I weaned myself off of in 2009-2010 after securing an OPI job/routines to keep myself busy/moving).
Going into O-Block, my one solace was that I had anticipated being isolated--with others; in education--so I had set my text books, composition book, and pens/pencils atop my bunk so that I could continue my homework & stories. Along with this was my change of whites, toiletries, & walkman. All that showed up though was my 4 text books, nothing to write with, two changes of whites, soap, wash cloth & towel.
To top it off, upon asking when I could use the phone or Kiosk, I was told, "There's nothing in place for that at this time."
After two days of asking the COs, "Can I have a pencil?" and being told, "Sure, I'll find you one," (to no avail), it was only thanks to a Lieutenant (who was passing through) that I was able to speak with her and--listening to her argue for a moment with the COs--they miraculously found a pencil for me. Here's the thing though, any inmate in Segregation, for disciplinary measures, can have: Books to read, paper, envelopes, golf pencils, the use of the phone/kiosk, and an hour or recreation. Since I was NOT disciplinary, I could NOT have my walkman, none of my vitamins (which a logic person would want you to take when sick), no phone or Kiosk privileges, a book to read, or apparently a pencil. Seeing the way I was being treated, I asked for 3 days straight to speak with my Sargents, only to be told, "I'll leave a message," "I'll call later," "Not right now," "They cannot come back here," and other such excuses as to why I could not, should not, and will not have a Sargent, Lieutenant, or Captain notified that I wanted to speak with him/her. This instance was especially so when I asked the second shift officer to leave a message with the Lt.; that I wanted to speak with him on Wednesday (4/8) morning when he told a disciplinary inmate that he will be back in on that morning. The reason for this was that neither me nor my bunky could get a clear answer on our COVID-19 test; if we had tested positive, and especially on the fact that we had been denied the use of the phone and Kiosk for the last four days. The CO stated that he would not notify the Lt., that we had to wait the 14 days and see what happens (if we show symptoms). We were being treated worse than those on discipline. Moreover, MCI had nothing in place to help us or to properly aid us if or when we contracted the virus, leaving us sick in bed. Even when the sinus tests were coming back positive, they wanted us to wait for symptoms to appear instead of taking simple measures to ramp up our immune system. Things such as OJ (or Vitamin C) Daily multi-Vitamins, tea & honey, Vitamin D3 (or direct sunlight) are cheap ways to do this. Even the simple logic of giving us extra blankets with orders to sweat it out when we feel a fever coming on are being ignored. It is for that lack of simple logic; the use of any parents common sense in tending to a cold/flu at the early stages, that my concern for my health grew with each day; being in a place where I could suffocate--as this virus basically does-and not be discovered for 30 plus hours later. All they would see is me laying on my bunk through the 5x11 inch window in the steel door. Next time (if there is one) I'm keeping my mouth shut. That way I would have a better chance to properly tend to myself. The ODRC's mindset is to keep us isolated, with no attempts, measures, or tactics to try and slow this virus down before the symptoms begin. It's a tactic of wait till you are really sick, then we will begin to deal with it. How they will "deal with it" though is the big question, which none of them can answer. Based on their present plans, its no wonder nearly 2,000 of the 2,500 inmate population is testing positive for COVID-19.
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