Good Afternoon,
Included in your mission statement is this amazing sentence, “We are committed to being leaders in the delivery of effective, compassionate and accessible care within correctional environments.” This sounds incredible, as though the New Jersey Department of Corrections and the University Correctional Health Care entities have evolved to provide a humane system of care for inmates. It’s almost too good to be true!
If I did not have a son that is incarcerated in the South Woods Prison, who is in extreme pain, has made multiple requests to see the doctor, and is not being diagnosed with a very swollen leg with a history of Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome and has a bypass scar that reaches from his ankle to below his knee, perhaps I would have believed that you were sincere.
To the contrary, my son redacted name:
- Has put in multiple requests to see the doctor for several weeks,
- I have written certified letters ( attached to this email) to Keisha Fisher, Administrator South Woods Prison, Victoria Kuhn, Commissioner DOC, Willie Bonds, Deputy Commissioner DOC,
- I called the Ombudsperson’s office multiple times,
- I left 5 messages with Maggie Reed, Ombudswoman,
- I called the Health Services office at the Department of Corrections and emailed them the letter that is attached here Monday, October 17, 2022,
- I called the medical office at South Woods Prison multiple times where no one answered the phone until today and the person said to call Mr. Thomas,
- I tried to leave a message with Mr. Thomas, Medical Ombudsman at South Woods but his machine was out of memory,
- I called the South Woods administrative office multiple times over the last two weeks,
- I called the social workers at South Woods, who told me to complain to the administration that the medical unit never answers their phone,
and my son has had no diagnostic treatment at all, has been left with a pain level, as of today at 11, and not one doctor has seen him since last Thursday, October 13, 2022. Why wasn’t redacted name brought to the Emergency Room when the first doctor saw him over two weeks ago? His bypass scar is huge and very identifiable and combined with redacted name medical history should have provided enough information for the first doctor to do something proactive, besides saying, and I’m paraphrasing, that if redacted name leg turned gray, to call him.
My letter describes redacted name medical history and informs as to why there should be a great urgency in diagnosing his swollen right leg. The doctor who saw him last Thursday, who was not the same doctor I referenced in my letter, who saw him over two weeks ago, told redacted name he was going to order an arteriogram. That was last Thursday. If the doctor thought this was appropriate, it seems illogical that there be a delay, considering that if there is a clot, that this could break up and travel around to the heart or lungs.
What does it take to receive basic, humane medical treatment at South Woods Prison? Why should any inmate suffer the physical and emotional trauma of being ignored with what could be a very serious, limb threatening problem? The scar on his leg is obvious. The swelling is obvious. He has complained of the pain.
In my letter which is attached, I cc’d redacted name vascular surgeon, Dr. Rahimi, who practices at Robert Wood Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ. I would strongly suggest that you have redacted name sign a medical release of records authorization and request all of his medical records from Dr. Rahimi. redacted name also is a great source of information and he knows exactly what happened to his leg and how they treated him. I believe he is also supposed to be on a baby aspirin per day, which he is not receiving to date.
Due to the fact that nothing has happened thus far, I have written to all of you with the hope that someone will respond with a compassionate, humane and caring attitude and will immediately take action.
With hope,
Susan Guardia
