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."
Medical Off-Site Appointments Being Turned Away
As we have reported in earlier stories, Banner has stopped taking Naphcare insurance. This is another installment in I-dont-believe-they-did-this saga.
From inmate’s email. “I had been waiting four months for an endoscopy. Finally, I knew my appointment was imminent because they made me ‘clean myself out’ the day before. I drank a jug full of liquid that was like a Rotor-Rooter, made to completely clear my colon. The next day, exhausted and weak from the cleanout, with no sleep, and no food, I was forced to walk even though I have a wheelchair chrono to the van.
After an hour and a half of driving, we arrived at Mountain Vista Medical Center. The guard went into the clinic with the paperwork and came out with a shocked look on her face. She said, “No endoscopy is scheduled for today.” My despair was palpable. All the way back to Perryville and all for nothing.
I spoke to Head Nurse Madrid upon my return, and he SHOWED me the email from Mountain View that my procedure was indeed scheduled for today at 11 am. The nurse said it could be a computer error, OR they decided not to take Naphcare insurance after all.
My initial appointment two months ago for this endoscopy was Banner, and they abruptly stopped honoring Naphcare too. It looks like I’ll have to wait to be released and contact the Veterans Association. “
Medical Officer: “Naphcare Is In So Much Trouble Now, Receivership Will Be Soon.
What that officer was referring to was the Feds taking over the health care of Arizona prisoners. We feel Judge Silver will have no choice but to do this, as reluctant as she is to do so.
You have read the many stories on this site about the horrendous neglect of our women inmates regarding their health care. As Editor, I sifted through the recent stories, and have noticed a significant uptick in catastrophic health endings for prisoners. In other words, if they’re not dead they’re dying, and the ones who manage to survive have had their lifespan reduced.
Neglect, neglect, neglect. The diabetics especially have had severe issues with their feet. If not monitored correctly, diabetics can get sores on their feet which can lead to amputation. Is Naphcare trying to save money by not sending patients to lifesaving surgeries because they know they’re about to lose their contract? It’s a question that needs investigation…. and quickly.
W.E.’s Story
(This is W.E.’s story) ” I was born in September of 1950. I have diabetes, heart disease, and COPD. The first week I was at San Carlos an LVN (who shouldn’t be doing injections anyway), overdosed me by 10 cc’s of insulin. Instead of 4 cc of insulin, she gave me 14! As soon as I got back to my bunk I passed out. It was so serious I spent 5 days in the hospital.
My diabetes was very well controlled on the outside, but here it’s a crapshoot. I was taking inhalation therapy for my COPD, but here all they allowed was an emergency inhaler.
I came really close to going blind thanks to the morons at medical. The prison Optometrist tried really hard to get me to see Dr. Heller MD for an offsite appointment. Shortly after seeing the optometrist, I did get an appointment with Dr. Heller. He said I had monocular degeneration, cataracts, and bleeding in both eyes. I had been going to medical complaining about almost total blindness in my left eye. Dr. Heller immediately gave me two shots to stop bleeding and fluid loss. He said he’d tell the prison that it was imperative that I come back every 4 weeks for more shots. Of course, weeks went by without seeing Dr. Heller again. Bless that optometrist though, when I told him I hadn’t been seen, he got on the phone and made the appointment with Dr. Heller himself.
I have had visions all my life, and I had one last night that I died in prison days from being released. I hope this vision doesn’t come true.”
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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.