(Story in her own words) On January 27th I underwent 3 skin cancer surgeries at Regency Dermatology. After the surgeon sewed up the last wound, he admonished me to “Be SURE to take your antibiotics starting tonight when you return to prison.”

When I arrived back at Carlos to see a nurse, according to policy, I asked where my antibiotics were.”. The nurse said I’d get them “soon”. On the 28th and 29th I requested my antibiotics from pill call nurses who told me to ” Put in an HNR”. By Sunday night I had fever, chills, my eyes were so swollen I couldn’t see, and my face was red and purple.

At about 6 pm I passed out on the bathroom floor. An ICS was called and many women gathered to try and help. The bay officer was SOTO, and she was joined by two male officers with a wheelchair. SOTO said in a loud voice (because everyone heard her) “Get up! Get up you FAKER!” I had painfully made it to my knees on the cement floor but was too weak to get in the chair.

The inmates were getting angry, and shouting at the officers “Don’t let her lay there! Get her in the chair!!” “What if that was your grandmother!?” No one from medical came.

Finally, one male officer rolled me to medical where I was seen by RN Lanier. Ms. Lanier immediately executed proper emergency care. It was determined I had a raging fever, lymph, and pus running out of my infected wound, and I was attended to. I was given a pain reliever and an antibiotic and told to see the Provider first thing in the morning.

Monday morning PA Johnson started me on an IV antibiotic. Mr. Johnson got on the phone to demand the Regency surgeon see me immediately. I was taken by van to their surgical center where the surgeon abraded my infected cheek, and drained it. He said I had STAPH or MRSA, took a culture, and said that the wound had to heal from the inside out.

Instead of returning to Carlos I was taken to IPC. I spent 5 agonizing days in the prison hospital getting pumped with antibiotics and Tylenol 3. Dr. Ibrams got approval for a non-formulary to fight this infection. He even went out himself to CVS to get it for me! Dr. Ibrams is my hero.

I believe Naphcare is the villain in this story, as they were responsible for delivering the critical antibiotic, on time, the night of my surgery, AND THEY FAILED.

2-1-23 After the surgeon from Regency Dermatology abraded and drained my cheek wound, PA Johnson condemned me to IPC for monitoring. Exhausted and in severe pain, I took a Tylonol 3 and passed out.

2-2 PA Shields came to change my dressing and start an IV. I worry when health professionals cringe when they see my gaping wound. I’m eating prison food (rules say no commissary food) and drinking tap water…what will become of me?

2-3 Nurse Mumms is an absolute doll, a real gem. All the nurses are pleasant, but she is a real standout. Then! TAADAA….is it a bird? a plane? No it’s SUPER DOCTOR IBRAMS!!! He enters my room. I wish I’d had a video of his reaction when he saw my wound…he visibly recoiled. He suspects MRSA or STAPH. IV’s aren’t going to cut it, so he gets immediate approval for an out-of-formulary antibiotic that can fight this severe infection. He even went to CVS himself to pick it up!

2-4 6:56 am. The toddler meal set before me had 9 cubes of potatoes and 6 cubes of fake ham. 1 milk. 3 tbs of canned pears. bread and p’butter. 10:16 am. No nurse has made an introduction yet. I paid for a Trinity meal today, but my odds of getting it are slim to none. $23 down the drain because I had the audacity to get an infection. 3:40 pm. prison food offering. a small portion of mystery meat meatloaf, 9 green beans, ubiquitous bread, and tap water. Is this my karma for not remembering the poor and destitute inmates that must eat this crap to stay alive???

2-5 breakfast 6:30 am. 2 dollar pancakes, 2 tbs syrup, cereal, lunch meat. That’s supposed to feed a man-sized 5’10 185lb woman for 12 hours???!!!! 6:35 pm dinner. Another toddler meal of greasy queasy awful stuff, cornbread…my stomach hurt all night. I have been ravenously hungry since I got here.

 2-6 Dr. I let me loose!! I’m ecstatic! and lost 6 lbs in 5 days.

February 1st 2023/ It was the best of times and it was the worst of times. This morning an Angel was pushing my wheelchair toward Yard Office….she leaned into my ear and said, “Your long nightmare on Charley bay is over.” I was pushed into the Movement Officer’s presence and she said, ” This is a done deal. I only need your “yes” to transfer you from C bay to A bay.” Yeess!!!!

The worst of times….20 minutes later. I was in an emergency van going back to the surgeon at Regency to fix my face which looked like an overripe eggplant. Story of IPC adventure next on this page.