(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.