Health Horror Stories
"These stories of health abuse are not independently verified by the editors of this website. However, all of the women have agreed to a HIPPA release to any qualified attorney willing to take their case, or to an investigative reporter from the media."
BREAKING: We are close to Receivership!
Readers, if you’ve been watching the local news you have seen a flurry of stories about the miserable health care in AZ prisons. We’ve been writing about this for years, but the media has finally noticed….and the Court. Jensen v Thornell, the lawsuit against the state that started in 2012 could be winding to a close, and saving countless inmate lives if it ends in Receivership.
Simply put, Receivership means the Feds take over the state prison. March 25th is the big day that the Judge should make her decision regarding this case. This whole mess has already happened in California. In 2005, Plata v Schwarzenegger ended in Receivership, and ended “the undisputed constitutional deficiencies in prisoners’ health care.”
A year ago we interviewed a lady who was at a California prison before, during, and after the Feds took over. She was amazed at the speed of improved health care within a WEEK from the judge’s decision. Real doctors were hired and people stopped dying needless deaths.
To read public record: No. CV 12-00601-PHX-ROS Plaintiff’s Motion For A Receiver.
My spinal fluid is leaking out of my neck and Naphcare will let me be paralyzed!
(Mary’s story…Ed.)
“The bone spurs in my neck punctured my spinal cord, and the MRI shows the spinal fluid leaking out into my body. The first Provider I saw, Jose Sims, told me ” there’s nothing they can do”. He was an arrogant ass. I next saw Provider Shields who immediately tried to locate a neurosurgeon because she said, “If we don’t stop the leak you’ll be paralyzed within 6 months.”
Unfortunately for me, the only neurosurgeon under contract with Naphcare had never been paid for previous surgeries…. Naphcare stiffed them! Naturally, the neurosurgeon will not work on an inmate again. Where does that leave me? They say they’re “searching” for another surgeon.
In the meantime, my family did some digging and found out Naphcare has been billing my private healthcare agency ever since I’ve been here. Naphcare hasn’t paid anything for my care…I have! My health insurance runs out in August. Why isn’t Naphcare moving heaven and earth to find a neurosurgeon before my insurance runs out?”
What it’s like to watch my 2 friends die…F**K you Naphcare
“This must be part of the punishment that the DOC promises you get during your incarceration. On the outside, if your friends are in hospice, you can visit when you’re up to it and process it afterward with a martini. Here in Perryville, there is no escape…..I have to watch as my friends die slowly from cancer right before my eyes. And there’s no martini. Nothing to soften the anguish of seeing Rebecca and Melissa disintegrate from the ravages of cancer, one of the stomach and the other of the parathyroid. Both cancers that never would have existed were it not for the for-profit, prison health vendor Naphcare.
You’ve read their stories on this blog, at least about the medical angle and how these cancers were so preventable in their early stages. Recently, Melissa finally got to see an ENT physician for the first time. She describes the doctor’s incredulous looks as he reviewed her records and kept asking her, ” And this is the first time in four years you’ve seen an Ear Nose Throat specialist? ” Then Melissa said, “You’re the first DOCTOR I’ve seen in four years.” Melissa said the physician was so angry he turned red. But by then the doctor knew she’d had cancer for quite awhile, and it was probably inoperable.
That’s the medical part….how about the personal story of these ladies? Melissa was practically still on her honeymoon when she was sent to Perryville. Her devoted husband has been her rock and visits regularly. The prison returns his once healthy bride to him riddled with cancer.
Rebecca has a strong family that had many plans for her return, but those plans will revolve around hospice….. IF she even makes it out of prison alive. The prognosis for Rebecca is not good. She spends her time begging the prison for basics like a softer mattress so she doesn’t get bedsores. So far no luck with that. Rebecca has done grievances so the prison will at least acknowledge people with disabilities. The pedestrian gate to travel to the vehicle gate, is not even paved…..rocks, dirt, potholes, so easy to stumble and fall from a walker or cane.
Hospice out there offers COMFORT, hospice inside offers STRUGGLE and PAIN. And then there’s the pain of the friends who have to watch. I can tell you from experience, watching is no picnic….it turns you into a real Debbie downer.
So, when you get the time, call your state legislature or Ryan Thornell himself, and continue to advocate for all the women of Perryville.”
Break Them Bones No Care Naphcare…TWICE
Two stories, in a huge list of similar orthopedic stories from Perryville. Patient #1 fell at the kitchen and came down hard on her knee. She received the usual dismissive treatment from medical, with no ice chrono or promise of an x-ray. Her knee was the size of a...
Lori’s Strip Mall Surgeon
Lori has extreme arthritis that affects her joints, especially the hands. Six months ago she had a reputable surgeon in a hospital reconstruct her right hand....it went well. Since then, Naphcare has had cost cutting front and center. Lori was thinking she was...
Sergeant Throws Disabled Girl to the Pavement
(We received 6 signed eyewitness statements about this alleged incident that occurred on San Carlos January 22...Ed) The eyewitness writing the grievance states, "Erica was on her tablet phone and couldn't hear the Sergeant calling her. To get her attention, Sergeant...
Kick the Bums (Naphcare) Out!!
(Ed. note: We read the incredibly long Monitor's Second Report to the Court, filed 1-7-25. Public access is CV-12-00601-PHX-ROS) The ACLU did a masterful job in showing Judge Roslyn Silver why she should get rid of Naphcare and put the DOC and Arizona in receivership....
Naphcare doing procedures in abandoned buildings now?
(Check out this grievance we received. What's next with these guys, a back alley in Goodyear?----Ed.) "I am grieving Naphcare's latest attempt to save itself money at the expense of inmates quality health care. Patients are happy with Regency Dermatology for complete...
EVERYTHING is Broken in Perryville
Nothing works...not even one. FOOD: Aramark was supposed to be the first thing that really changed for the good in the last 16 years, but alas, that too broke after only 3 weeks. While the Aramark supervisors were here, the prison food made a tremendous improvement...
Carlos Medical Disasters
1) Woman has surgery on her elbows. She goes to Carlos nurses line for wound care. The so-called "nurse" told that patient, "I don't see anything here from the surgeon for wound care, so I'm not touching you, giving you gauze, ointment, or anything else." That elderly...
2024 Outstanding Nurse awards…..and the winner(s) are!
This year the votes were tied for best RN of 2024: Nurse HORNER of Santa Cruz! Nurse ANDERSON of San Carlos! Congratulations to both Mrs. Horner and Mr. Anderson for the professional, life-saving, care you provide to the ladies of Perryville!
Did Grave Shift Officer ROGERS Walk by Naked Inmate in Medical Distress?
(A group of women on Charley bay tell this alleged incident.) Robin is the name of a stage 4 cancer patient who needs oxygen to survive. Robin had been complaining about a fever the night before, and this could be why in the middle of the night she had thrown off all...
Maricopa County Jail Takes Blind Woman’s Cane! Then Perryville Gives Her a Walker???
Joanna is 100% blind. When she was arrested on an ancient parole violation, she had her collapsible white cane with the red tip, universally recognized as a blind person's "eyes". The jail guards took her cane away claiming she could use it as a weapon. How? She can't...
Naphcare Gives, and Naphcare Takes Away
(Follow up article on "Did Naphcare do something right?") Well, that didn't take long. About 3 weeks ago we announced Naphcare's new continuity of care program, where each inmate was assigned her own " team" of Provider, RN, and CNA. The women were wild with...
Did Naphcare do something right??
OMG. We received a bunch of communications within the last 24 hours, about Naphcare implementing a new Provider network. Each resident is now assigned her own "team" of Provider, RN, and CNA. She sees her team each time she goes to Medical and her HNR requests are...
I was in prison for 17years and have seen so many people die in front of me It’s traumatic and I have PTSD from it. Medical never helped me for my heart problems, never took tests, just told me I have congested heart failure and didn’t do anything for me. I saw it every day. They never helped us, made us always feel like we were lying and would send us away. Making people work in the kitchen who have scoliosis, heart problems, people who have AIDS and Hep C as well as other STDs. There’s rat poop on our kitchen food, birds all over our trays that we eat off of making us all even sicker, black mold everywhere. We can’t breathe in our cells due to all the mold and crud in our walls, vents, and coolers. They are trying to kill us – they don’t care and the money they get for us does not go to us. There is so much more.
I’ve been sexually attacked by the CO police officers twice. I have my whole life to account for in there and I’m surprised I made it out after 17years. They have medium inmates on max yards getting assaulted and they don’t care. They say it is due to no room. They also send you to max yard as punishment without ever getting tickets. It’s all retaliation. They will ruin your life if you don’t do what they want. They make up lies, yep the sergeants, if you refuse to work because you don’t feel good. I heard a Sergeant say “Oh you’re going to hurt yourself” then cuff her up and put her in isolation when the girl never said it. I’ve seen it all, believe that.
Hi Cynthia! I’m not sure if you’ll see this but I am so sorry for what you went through. Thank you for sharing a glimpse of your story. I would love to ask you questions as I am exploring ideas for my doctoral capstone and am interested in issues in the AZ Women’s Prison. Is there any way we could talk further?
That was my friend 😭 she was cool ag and funny. I feel bad I had to leave San Carlos for Cruz. But fck their medical center, the whole prison is fucked up and corrupted. I’ve been out for 8 months now and I still remember everything like yesterday especially with health care. Like can the prison do an upgrade and fix their shit or will more ppl have to die like my friend here? It’s fucked up because I knew she was having a hard time in the beginning getting her shots. We both came from the same county. She wasn’t even a criminal like person. She was fun, bright and very smart, like she could’ve went to college. She had alot planned for herself…damn I love Jowell thank for the laughs and being a loyal friend. Rest in Paradise
Yeah, she was a very cool person to know. She would hug you when she saw you with a big smile. She was always cool to everyone, no hate or anger in her heart but she probably did towards ADOC health employees
I was incarcerated for 9 years and just released March 2024. In 2019, my stomach swelled up and I looked 9 months pregnant. They told me I had impacted stool and had me drink a laxative. The pain got worse, I couldn’t breath or walk and this went on for 2 months. My family contacted the ACLU and prison and finally in February 2020 I was sent to the hospital and diagnosed with Stage 3 Ovarian cancer. I was in the hospital for 10 days and started chemo. I went back to the prison and was expecting chemo every 3 weeks. It took over a 3 weeks for me to get scheduled for my next chemo. In May, I had just came back from chemo and was told I was packing up and being sent to San Carlos. I had to load and unload all of my belongings after a day of chemo and was being transferred to a yard with 1300 women. I then had surgery to remove the cancer in July and once released from the hospital was sent to Maria and put in a cell, by myself with no A/C. I had to move everything by myself and carry a chair out to take a shower. I had an incision from belly button to my pubic bone. Finally after 2 weeks, I was sent back to Carlos. I was told later that I had peritoneal cancer and not ovarian, after I had had a complete hysterectomy. I never had a follow up PET scan to make sure the cancer was gone. In March of 2023, I started seeing a new oncologist, Dr. Benjamin and he finally ordered a PET scan and saw that I had cancer again in the same area of my stomach. I had surgery again in May and started six rounds of chemo. Between the medical Dr’s John and Johnson my medical treatment at the prison was horrible. They didn’t give me anything but Tylenol and Excedrin for the pain and I had to fight to get an extra mattress and extra milk for protein shakes. If I didn’t have my family to support me and stand up for me I would have died. I applied for clemency 2 times and because I wasn’t dying in 3 months, I was refused. Something needs to change with the health system and prison.