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.”
Crisis Central–NaphCare is a BUST!
The new, for-profit, health care provider started October 1st. for all Arizona jails and prisons. What a MESS. Right off the bat, the computers stopped working, and I mean they couldn't do anything right. One hundred people were assigned to one (and only) Provider...
Woman with severed fingers claims she got no pain meds other than aspirin
A worker at Print Shop almost lost her hand in one of the machines there. Allegedly, two fingers were stripped away, but 911 was called immediately. At the hospital, surgeons were able to reattach the ring and index fingers, although time will tell if she can use them...
The cAGEing of Perryville
Recently, we heard from an elderly inmate, and this is her letter about fellow aging women in prison. "I hadn't been back to Cruz unit in over 3 years. Cruz is where they store most of the aging population in medium custody. Women in their 60s and 70s all know each...
Your Blood Never Lies
I have always been skeptical of how much "stress" affects one's health. Well, I'm a believer now. I have empirical evidence of my own blood lab work. If you read the articles about how bad Lumley Unit treats its residents, you can understand the major STRESS the women...
Quick summary of Jensen v. Shinn trial
(For gavel to gavel coverage, see Jimmy Jenkins reporting for the Arizona Republic.) Psychologists, wardens, medical workers, and the prisoners themselves, testified for a month in this health care trial. On the last day of the trial, the court heard from Centurion's...
Prison nurse told to falsify report
(Read Jimmy Jenkins complete article in the Arizona Republic) This RN with 30 years experience, worked predominantly in the DOC Alhambra unit which serves as intake for men's prisons. In this instance in 2020, Nurse Bordan was asked to document a return from off-site...
Registered Nurse: “H. Pylori is rampant in Perryville”
An RN source alerted us to this story. According to her, this serious bacterial disease is prevalent in prisons....at least AZ prisons. This virulent strain of bacteria is, according to the Merck manual, is the cause of gastritis and ulcers. Long-term infection...
AZDOC has NOT told their pregnant inmates about the ‘Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act’
Families of pregnant women have told us that there has been no postings or any dissemination of information about the Act. These expectant mothers need to know they will no longer be shackled or restrained in any way. And after birth, they will be allowed to bond with...
Judge Silver to AZDOC: “See you in court!”
Federal Judge Roslyn Silver has finally lost patience with the DOC. She's taking them to trial over their continued non-compliance with Parson v. Ryan, a class action suit started in 2012. If the DOC can't defend their decision to turn over the health care of inmates...
10 Ambulances in 24 Hours at Peaville!
We've had multiple reports from families and staff, about the brutal heat emergencies in the women's prison. A staff member at Lumley Unit said three 911 calls were issued in two hours! A woman allegedly broke her ankle on one of the yards, trying to fix swamp...
More Older Women and Longer Sentences – AZDOC winning the wrong competitions
Women in AZ spend far longer in prison than women nationally. These additional months and years are not making Arizona safer. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that longer sentences do not make people less likely to commit a crime in the future. Recidivism is...
Diabetics in Danger for Their Health on Lumley
Due to DW Bendel's rules about 'escorting' women everywhere, we have letters from diabetics warning of serious consequences to their health. Even in the midst of a critical staff shortage, Bendel insists on a guard to go with the women everywhere. Diabetics must be...
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.