Fighting Medical Neglect In Jail

Annie,
Do you think you will get the encouraging, kind responses which are typical of this forum and which you actually need right now by being so unreasonably angry at us? Sometimes it takes a little while before you get an answer or response because people are still asleep, working etc. when you are writing your post, but the beautiful thing is that in less than a day people always take the time to read your post and respond. First I thought I would ignore your posts, because for me, as I’m sure is the case for many others, it takes a lot of energy to write even a few sentences and I would rather spend it on something else than your negative behaviour. Sometimes weeks go by before I am able to write again on this forum and now and again I do feel a bit left out and I wished I could join in more easily. But I have learned to be thankful for the times I can come to write here and I know people here will not forget me, so it makes me angry and emotional to read your accusations. I wish you would have given us the time to express our concern for your and your husbands difficult situation.

Hi Annie, Sorry I didn’t see your post until this morning-I only have soo much time and energy to check things online, which includes a few mins for my support group and email. You need to go to the lawyer and have him look into the treatment availability in jail. I don’t know where you live or what jail your husband is in, but if you look into the problems that michigan is now facing from the death of an inmate 2 months ago you might get your answers. in lenawee county jail a woman died from allegedly not getting her diabetes meds. it is in the news right now and it might give you more info then what we can give you about treatment in jails. we can help with questions and be here for those who need to vent, be it caretakers, family, and patients. I understand how you feel helpless and angry, but you really need to put your energy into a more positive attitude towards being supportive of your husband and do what you can from this side of the wall. This Family is a very supportive bunch of people, you won’t find better! I for one have Relapsing/remitting GBS, it paralyzes me without alot of notice. I come back time after time without treatment sometimes, due to allergies mostly, just keep in mind that it isn’t a life sentence and recovery is possible for your husband. The best info i can give you at this time is to contact the attourney and/or prison officials with your husbands medical history inhand and take it from there. I wish you all the luck in the world, and please take care of yourself, to help your husband even more.

I am sure it is extremely frustrating being in your shoes. Although I’ve never had to deal with our penal system, I’m sure if you are sick in prison, it is frustrating and won’t receive the best of care.

GBS is not well-known. The prison may believe he is faking to get out of jail to be able to go to the hospital. Bring documentation of the symptoms of GBS and documentation of medical records you had from six years ago. You may have to go through your attorney in order to do this or to be able to insist that your husband needs more medical help.

When I was in the hospital, I had a roommate who was incarcerated (sp??). Possibly you need to talk to the prison doctor (I assume they have one in the infirmary???) to see what can be further done for him.

Best of luck!

I replied under your “Disappointed In You Guys” thread about two minutes after you posted this tread.

I’m a very slow typer – sorry ’bout that – but my brain and my fingers don’t work the way they use to.

Hang in there. You and your husband will be in my prayers.

[QUOTE=peteacher1]
GBS is not well-known. The prison may believe he is faking to get out of jail to be able to go to the hospital. Bring documentation of the symptoms of GBS and documentation of medical records you had from six years ago. You may have to go through your attorney in order to do this or to be able to insist that your husband needs more medical help.
Best of luck![/QUOTE]

The idea of a lawyer may be the best approach. Depending on your financial situation, you may be able to get assistance through Legal Aid. Your lawyer could either try an get your husband the medical help he need in prison, or put for a early release so he can get it from the private sector.

It’s worth a shot

Again, you and your husband are in my prayers.

Hi Annie,

Sorry you are feeling the way you are at this time. But the fact of the matter is the people here are just as sick as your husband and sometimes their energy and pain levels prevents them from posting for a day or two. I will not apologize for my not answering your posts. We all have our own crosses to bear with this crappy illness.

We are far from being snobs here. Alot of the good people here have lost everything in their lives due to GBS. Some people have passed away from complications of GBS/CIDP, some people are wheelchair bound from GBS/CIDP,
some people can barely type to respond, it might take them a very long time just to type and answer a post. Some even have typed using a pencil or stick in their mouth. You just have to realize that sometimes it will take awhile to get an answer.

As a caregiver to my husband Frank who passed away on Dec 25th 2005 from complications of GBS/CIDP (heart attack) it has been very hard for me to come in here and post, but I do when my emotions are not running all over the place. I just lost my best friend /sister on Dec 5th, 2006 from complications of GBS, so I’m not quite up to posting all the time.

When I read your post, it upset me because you couldn’t find a better group of people who really do care, even if you think they don’t. It has nothing to do with your husband being incarcerated.

You need to be his advocate and get an attorney or call the Civil Liberties to try to get him some help. Call Social Services in your community and see what they can do to help.

With this all being said, I do wish you and your husband the best.

Annie,

I’ll just repeat what others have said – get an attorney involved.

Best wishes,

Suzanne

Annie-

How many of us do you think are awake at 2 AM?

Anyway, talk to your lawyer, you do have one, don’t you?? I mean the one that represented your spouse in court in the first place. He should see a neurologist. Relapsing GBS is possible, but it could be other things.

Annie,
I am just curiuous about your posting, as I see you first posted (& probably joined) less than 2 days ago, have had numerous responses to your threads, but have not responded in turn. Some have asked questions, but you have not answered any of them.
When I was trying WW last spring, I joined their forum, but found that by the time I had put a serious post/question out there, it was on page two within about 10-20 minutes, where no one even saw the post anymore. I got so sick of people posting things like what did you have for breakfast, or I am so sick of work this afternoon, or I am so mad at my DH, that I soon gave up.

This is a serious forum, with some very knowledable people, so please respect that by responding to people who are genuinely trying to help you…

Hello Annie,
If you come back to read through posts, I found something that may be of help for you. Take a look at this web site, [url]www.ncchc.org[/url] You’d also be able to find it in a google search. Naional Commission on Correctional Health Care. I noticed that you can print out a form for chronic health care.

Hello Annie,

You really need to put your energy into a more positive attitude towards being supportive of your husband. Keep things rolling and try all the avenues that have been suggested. Also I don’t remember seeing any mention to if you have a report from the Doctor or the hospital for yourself? I would make a copy of that and attach it to every letter you send…..also send letters certified mail to show they were received. Next would not hurt to send copies to your State Representive, Senator….local Mayor. Make sure the letters are addressed to the correct partys. Start by stating the case breifly what has taken place and what you need help with from that person. Don’t dwell on the past requests for help. Be professional and give only the facts, watch your spelling and grammar….watch the name calling for example. Tell them your concern and give them the medical names of the problem. Don’t use GBS or other nick names for it. Actually for GBS use Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. Tell them at your concern isthat the majority of patients eventually return to a normal or near normal lifestyle, but many endure a protracted recovery and some remain wheelchair-bound indefinitely without the proper treatments which a Neuroligist would have to be envolved. He also should be receiving rehab to make sure he is progressing and not being over worked or that could bring on another onset or cause more damage. This is a delicate situation where they make sure they are giving plenty of rest for the fatigue and letting the nerves heal, but also doing physical therapy and occupational therapy to start to work with the muscles, tendons and liagaments. Without the proper medications or treatments the demyelination of the nerves will keep progressing and cause damage. IVIG or Plasmaphresis (use the proper medical terms for those treatments) should be used to stop the progression. Also on his dx he might be moving into the CIDP (the cronic form of GBS) catagory too and therefore has to be seen by a Neurologist.

I am not sure if your husband had a spinal tap or not, I don’t remember it being mentioned.

As the caregiver you need to take care of yourself. Get educated and organized. Knowledge is power! You have a couple dozen letters to get out to contacts. Let us know how things are going. Hang in there! As far as seeing a big difference in your husbands condition remember GBS stand for [B]G[/B]etter [B]B[/B]etter [B]S[/B]lowly! Even with treament the healing takes time.

Hope he recovers

Annie, this is where a lawyer can move things along quicker. Notary would have been there quicker. If you yourself can not move things along then you have to turn to those who can. The great thing about the forum your messages will be here for others to see…chatrooms usually are live and don’t keep old posts. Our chatroom is missed it gets us intouch with a live person and you get answers quicker but the message boards or forum get ideas from everyone!

At the time of the second onset what kind of treatment did he receive? Results were good? What exactlly do you want them to do for him this time? GBS might be the wrong dx for this now it has moved over to the cronic form in my opinion. I am sure the others will agree that have that form (CIDP or Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy). The treatment can be different and steriods can be used where with GBS they are not used in the treatment.

Keep up the advanced efforts!

What was he incarcerated for?

Annie, et al:

I work in a jail in Washington State. While I am not offended by Annie’s remarks, I feel that some degree of reality needs to be addressed.

The Pinellas Co Jail has over 3200 inmates. That is the size of a small town. Reality is, not every one in a small town is going to receive personal treatment. The jail does have over 420 medical and support staff to address the needs of the inmates, as well as a full service, 24 hour medical unit. The medical standards for jails in the US are set by a standars board and are inspected on a regular basis. Most inmates complain about their treatment, but they are meeting some fairly high standards. There are many people not in jail, and most people in third world countries who’s treatment is not as good as what criminals are getting.

The Jail Inmate Handbook is available on line. It clearly states in the handbook how to request both medical services and a notary public. As in our jail, you have to ask. We are not mind readers. We need to know what your specific concerns are. If you want two pages notarized, you need to say that. Additionally, like it or not – your husband’s treatment is being paid for by the tax payers. If you were to canvass the “man on the street” the tax payer just may think your husband should have minimum care only while he is in jail.

The hospital records are protected by the federally mandated HIPPA act. It is not the jail’s fault you cannot get your husbands records, nor is it the hospital’s fault. Don’t like it? Talk to your congressman. I can’t even get a copy of my daughter’s medica record at her university health center to turn in to my insurance company without jumping through the same hoops you are.

Annie, you said that your husband isn’t guilty of anything, that he is only in jail because of a minor PV technicality. Well, guess what? That means that he must have been guilty of his original crime, and was released prior to serving his full sentence and placed on Probation. Probation rules are very strict and one needs to adhere to them to the letter. So while he in jail on a PV, he is not innocent of a crime.

Annie, I know that you are worried, and that you are feeling helpless and frustrated, but the bottom line is, you sound like every other complaning inmate family member. Don’t blaim the system. It’s working as well as it can. Don’t like it? Stay out of jail. If your husband has to be in jail, thank God that he is in jail in the good ol’ USA. I have toured jails in foreign counties, even first world foreign countries. This is as good as it gets.

So, now that you are totally pissed and are ready to yell and screem at me because “I’m not in your shoes, and I don’t understand” let me give you some advice.

1) Quit whining
2) Become pro-active, but in a positive way. Ask what you can do to help grease the skids, but quit putting the blaim on the jail.
3) Ask if you can volunteer. If Pinellas County is anything like where I work, the staff is always stretched to the limit.
4) When your husband gets out of jail, help keep him from violating his PV. Probation officers and the courts have little tollerance for PV offenders.
5) Quit blaining others. **** happens

Like I said on another chain. Good job VMAC!:cool: