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."
Woman with 2 uterine masses, cirrhosis, and portal hypertension fights with Naphcare for a doctor
Ms. R. has been churning out urgent grievances to get healthcare for her diagnosis. Naphcare denies her at every turn. She is in constant, severe pain from the uterine masses discovered by CT Scan at Abrazo West hospital. Naphcare denied her request for a hysterectomy that was recommended by the GYN at the hospital.
We reviewed her grievances, and when Ms. R. asked to see a liver specialist this is Naphcare’s final answer, “Your chart was reviewed by our regional medical team, and the need for a hepatologist consult was not approved, and plan of care was to monitor you at this time.” How do they deny a liver specialist to a patient with cirrhosis?! Will they “monitor” her to her death?
Portal hypertension is life-threatening and they still won’t send her to see a specialist. She accuses Naphcare of cutting off her medication for so long, that she had to go to ER. In her grievance regarding the pharmacy taking too long to fill prescriptions, this is what Naphcare wrote back, “Unfortunately, we do not have a pharmacy on-site and are AT THE MERCY OF MAIL ORDER FOR ALL MEDICATIONS” (caps ours). Do you believe this sh*t?
Breaking News! Has the DOC sabotaged the Injunction App?
For our readers who don’t know why this is so critical, let us explain it to you. On April 7, 2023, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona entered a Permanent Injunction to address the unconstitutional provision of health care and the unconstitutional living conditions imposed on the residents of the prison (called prisoners in the Permanent Injunction) held in maximum custody, detention, or watch. As part of the Permanent Injunction, the Court ordered the creation of a confidential mechanism for current Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry (ADCRR) residents, former residents, friends and family of residents, prison staff, contract staff (including the contracted health care vendor), and the public, to notify the Monitors of problems or complaints related to unsafe or unsound medical care, unsafe or unsound mental health care, or unconstitutional living conditions for residents in maximum custody, detention, or watch.
Every prisoner has this Injunction Portal app on their tablet to report abuses to the Court Appointed Monitors. When they go to the app and report something and hit send, the app says: “New complaint sent successfully.” THEN you can hit the back button to get your date/time and confirmation number. That’s not happening on Piestewa or Carlos for sure, and reportedly not on Rosa or Lumley either. Our sources are trying to get info on Cruz. What happens now on the app is the message/ Application not available. net::ERR_CACHE_MISS.
Mr. Siegal is the Securus person at Perryville and he is aware of the problem. He has said in emails that the Injunction Portal is a DOC app, and he only has control over Securus apps. Before this blog goes into full-blown conspiracy mode, we’re going to investigate further how this happened, WHEN it happened, and who’s to blame. One might be tempted to wonder if the DOC would shut down complaints so Judge Silver wouldn’t know what’s going on??
We are certain of our opinion on this however…. the medical/mental health Naphcare nightmare is the WORST it’s ever been in the 15 years we’ve been watching Perryville. Women are dying, being maimed, and paralyzed due to NO-CARE NAPHCARE!
Terminal Cancer Patient, Formerly in Hospice, “in Agony” at Perryville’s San Carlos
(Ed. note: We have seen the patient’s original X-ray report and copy of the letter she sent to the Prison Law Office, and of course, we did a one-on-one interview. This article starts with an overview of her situation taken from the letter to Prison Law.)
“My name is Robin and I’ve been diagnosed with stage 4 breast, bone, and lung cancer. That diagnosis was given to me by Maricopa County Hospital, while I was an inmate in jail in June 2023. Before that I was in Hospice of the Valley in Mesa. While I was in Maricopa jail, they gave me too much methadone and I overdosed. I fell off the gurney and broke my neck.
When I was sent to Perryville prison I was immediately put into the SNU, their version of hospice. That was September 2023, and Dr. Ibrahim received my full records from hospice and jail as he was in charge of IPC and SNU. I was then sent off-site to an oncologist at Ironwood. She confirmed the hospital’s diagnosis but added I was too weak for chemotherapy and radiation, and wanted me to continue with hospice. At this time my lung is deteriorating and I’m in extreme pain. I’m confined to a wheelchair and require diapers. My story gets worse in October 2023.
“I filed for Medical Clemency in October, but I needed my records to be sent with it. Provider Malcolm called me to Carlos medical to tell me, ” There are no medical records that say I have cancer. The medical Director Dr. Ibrahim might have taken them, but he’s no longer here.” This was the middle of November. Providers John and Malcolm both said my medical records were sent to the Clemency Board when I applied on December 1, 2023.
I was denied on 1-16-24, but I don’t believe the correct records were sent to the board, because I just found out the prison lists me AS A BLACK MALE! (I’m white with blue eyes). The X-Ray request taken on 1-8-24, has my correct birthday, ADC number, and name, but under Race: B. Sex M.!! On 1-24-24 I asked a COIII to look me up on the prison computer to see if it was fixed….. wait for it….now I’m a BLACK WOMAN. Who knows what medical records the Clemency Board got, but it wasn’t mine. I’m asking Prison Law to find my correct medical records so I can file another Clemency appeal as I’m scared of dying in here of neglect. (end part 2)
The differences in quality of care are significant. In hospice, I received enough morphine to block all pain, was on constant oxygen, and got plenty of breathing treatments. In SNU I believe my morphine was cut in half to 200mg/day, which only blunted the constant pain. Oxygen was only administered when my level dropped below 82. At San Carlos under Malcolm and Johns, morphine is rationed out to only 120mg/day which leaves me in CONSTANT agony. I’m not on oxygen at all, and receive no breathing treatments.
On 1-25-24 an ICS was called because I had chest pains, numbed left arm, and coughing up blood. They wheeled me to medical where an EKG confirmed I had an irregular heartbeat. My oxygen was horribly low at 72. You’d think they would call 911, but both providers refused saying I wasn’t coughing blood anymore, and oxygen got my score to 89. They sent me back to my bunk.
I know my crying disturbs the people around me, but the pain from advanced cancer is unrelenting. Why does the DOC treat people so callously?
I’m hoping my story gets out to the media and advocates everywhere, so no one else has to die like this.”
More Info on MVD – Maria
As reported, MVD has closed on Maria. A former inmate, Rebecca Dinning, worked there for 3 and half years. She was released a month ago but kept in touch with her coworkers. These inmates told her that some staff tested positive for the virus. The inmates" had a few...
BREAKING NEWS! Sources: COVID at Hickmans and Print Shop
Staff sources report at least 4 alleged cases of COVID-19 at Hickman's Farm. Reports say the Piestawa unit is the "new" quarantine area for the Hickman outbreak. Thay put a barricade between the 2 parts of Pie to section off confirmed cases of COVID, and women who...
COVID-19 Update
Director Shinn announced all inmates would be tested. Now, WHICH test remains to be seen. (In other words the DOC doesn't know yet). Antibody or swab? When will the inmates be tested? Guess? Right, they don't know. The staff will be tested first, and by facility. Did...
Quarantine on Maria
After many interviews, we pieced together what is allegedly going on. "A" yard is quarantining 6 COVID patients, and all returning court people, (women that had to make an appearance at court). Those gals are all in wing #1 only. R and A are housed in wings #2,3, and...
WHAT? NO MORE “GEEZER” CHECKS??!!
Almost since the beginning of the pandemic, DOC had the sense to call up chronic care patients, and screen for symptoms. Now, when AZ is putting out emergency notices to hospitals of increasing cases, the Dept of Confusion STOPS caring for the most vulnerable??!...
Where do the drugs come from?
Dateline Lumley: Numerous reports (too many to ignore), point to possible drug problems on the Lumley unit. Allegedly, there are more "dirty UA's" (drug urine tests) now, as there were when visitors were allowed in. As one staff person said, "If drugs don't come in...
A Few Expert Opinions on COVID and Inmates
[Editorial comment: There are now well over 300 confirmed inmate cases of COVID-19 in Arizona prisons. How many more there are is anyone's guess because testing (at least in Perryville) is almost a joke. Below are excepts from two news sources regarding the AZDOC and...
Mattress Wars – Part 3
Well, just a few hours ago we posted Part 2, and it was joyous news. San Carlos patients were getting their medically ordered mattresses back. It figures - it was too good to be true. We just learned staff is "dragging their feet" in giving them back. One Sargent was...
Maria is the new Pedro
We just got this from a source inside. "An officer whispered to us that Maria is the new Pedro." We reported earlier that it appeared that the San Pedro unit was where the inmates testing positive for COVID-19 are being quarantined and isolated from the rest of...
Thank you – Public pressure works once more.
We won the mattress war! (Read the original story here.) Thanks to readers, families, and friends writing and calling, medical mattresses have been restored to the elderly. No more bruised hips.
“Letter From A Dead Woman”
( a letter passed to us---names of medical personnel deleted for this post. We have no way of verifying, but this woman has a right to her opinion.)"Letter From A Dead Woman"My name was Debra R, but Perryville saw me as a number. I died on Jan. 11, 2020, while in...
D.W. HERNANDEZ ABOLISHES EXTRA MATTRESS FOR THE INFIRM!
Received this directly from an elderly inmate. "All of us in gray hair, some with hip replacements, wheelchairs, walkers, canes and elderly, were appalled when the officer stormed through San Carlos today taking our double mattresses. Our MEDICALLY APPROVED extra...
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.