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."
Nightmare on Shingles Street
(This is a true story by one of our favorite reporters on Lumley—Ed.)
“At age 71, I take chest pain seriously. On Monday morning I told the guards I was experiencing severe chest pain. I was transferred to medical via wheelchair immediately.
The nurse hooked me up to the EKG machine and started the test. She looked relieved as she viewed the results, but decided to examine me more closely. The nurse discovered a raw, red rash on my back wrapping around my torso. Shingles! That explained the chest pain because this virus mimics a heart attack. She immediately called the doctor on duty, and he told her to admit me to the IPC Isolation ward now.
Shingles is very contagious because it’s the same virus that causes chickenpox. But what about the pain? I was given an NSAID shot that did absolutely nothing. This was when I was reminded that as an inmate, I would not be given the same class of care as an old lady on the outside. All I could hope for was Tylenol-3, no matter how bad the pain got. And it was unbearable. At one point I wanted the guard to shoot me, it was that bad. I had read in the Merck manual that opioids are routinely given for severe Shingles pain…….but not for me…..because as an inmate I deserve to suffer.
For the three days I was there in IPC, I amused myself with general observations. My Isolation room was secured with a Kotex. The guard rarely checks on the patients. The nurse and CNA are overwhelmed with 17 patients on a 12-hour shift. My nurse call button was broken. Take the Kotex out of the door and yell I guess. Meds are sometimes forgotten. Meals are sometimes forgotten. The general dirtiness of this so-called hospital….albeit a prison hospital.
I had some interesting conversations with Dr. I, a real Board Certified M.D., on the Health Provider that contracts with the DOC. This is a part of what he told me. “America incarcerates its mentally I’ll, they don’t treat them. I’m appalled by the Contract Killers the DOC hires. They are out for profit and nothing more. They don’t give any preventative, humane, or compassionate care for the inmates. There is no pain med other than Tylenol-3. Their pharmacy is located in Indiana, and it takes forever to fill a prescription.”
I can attest to that, as I have been waiting for three days for the antivirals I was supposed to take for the Shingles. It’s important to take them immediately after the blisters appear. I was also promised a topical pain reliever, Lidocaine, for the hamburger meat that is now my back. Nope…..still in Indiana.
So I exist this way for three days in my Kotex secured Isolation room. Finally, I am deemed well enough to return to my room…..sans Tylenol-3, because they think inmates will sell them on the yard. I was hoping for some rest but discovered the guards had packed up all my stuff and put it in Property. Yet another hot trip back to the Administration area to retrieve it. Is anything easy here? Noooo. The Property guard didn’t even have my stuff labeled by name. It had been unceremoniously dumped in a corner.
Well, guess what happened? Yes! Things were missing! I’m short 2 fundraiser (the kind you buy) sheets, 2 fundraiser towels, and a washcloth. My friends put the word out that whoever took them should immediately return them. So 24 hours later they miraculously appear. Meanwhile, the pharmacy finally gives me my long-awaited Lidocaine and antivirals. A week late.
The upshot of this whole sad tale is ‘I was put in my place as an unworthy human being by the AZDOC. They never let an incarcerated person forget that they consider you pond scum. Do I see any hope for Arizona inmates? No, I don’t.
DOC fined another $1 million dollars for lack of compliance in prison medical care
(From a story in AZ Republic newspaper 2-26-21)
Judge Roslyn Silver found the DOC in contempt for failing to comply with the Order issued May 2019. This time the state will pay 1.1 million in 14 days.
Parsons v Ryan is the lawsuit that claimed inadequate medical, health, and dental care for inmates. Corene Kendrick, one of the lawyers representing the inmates, said “we hope the ADC will stop wasting taxpayer money fighting the court ordering it to live up to its promises, and finally do its duty and provide the basic health care to the people in its custody.”
In addition to getting substandard health care, Covid has added concern for inmates, their families, and advocates. We here at this website know our women in Perryville live in fear wondering when the vaccines are coming. California, Oregon, and surrounding States have already vaccinated their inmates…why hasn’t Arizona? Because, in our opinion, they don’t give a damn.
Incidents of self-harm skyrocket in AZ prisons
The mental health of inmates in Arizona is deteriorating at an alarming rate. It seems like suicide is neck and neck with COVID to see who wins.
The Arizona Republic quoted KJZZ’s article about self-harm in prison, reporting an increase of 360% more cases this year!! That is worth saying again…360% more cases. They don’t break it down by location, so we can’t isolate Perryville from the others, but if reports are accurate Perryville is suffering more than the men.
Does the DOC offer more mental health services during this crisis? Hell no.
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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.