Update…
Today I spoke with my son, Redacted, Redacted, after he had a visit this morning from Mr. Thomas, who I believe is an advocate/employee of Rutgers University Correctional Health and Dr. Sherita Latimore-Collier, who practices internal medicine at South Woods Prison. He was seen at the medical clinic at South Woods Prison. Several issues were discussed as follows, which raise certain concerns that I will elucidate.
Redacted told me that Dr. Latimore-Collier said that he would be scheduled to see a neurologist, as recommended by Dr. Fares from St Francis Medical Center in Trenton, NJ. As a reminder, Redacted was seen by Dr. Fares at St. Francis on November 4, 2022. Redacted, at the time, was told by the staff that the doctor was a general doctor. Redacted inquired today about that doctor and he told me that Dr. Latimore-Collier told him that Dr. Fares was a vascular specialist. After researching I found a Dr. Louis G. Fares, who is a bariatric and general surgeon at St. Francis. If this is the same doctor, he is definitely not a vascular specialist. Redacted and I would like clarification on this.
According to Redacted, Dr. Latimore-Collier also told him that he would be scheduled to see his vascular surgeon, Dr. Saud Rahimi, at Robert Wood Johnson. This is, possibly, the best news that either he or I have received thus far and I hope that this happens immediately, for Redacted’s sake.
According to Redacted, Dr. Latimore-Collier also told him that his blood work, which was drawn over two weeks ago, was good. Redacted would like to see the blood work results, just like I can see mine when I have blood work. That should be in his medical record, which he has not received to date. Mr. Thomas told him that this would be coming but Redacted does not know when.
Redacted also told me that Dr. Latimore-Collier told him that the pain he was experiencing was possibly a reaction from his nervous system/brain. I am not totally clear on this and neither is Redacted. My son told me that there is no clear diagnosis from the doctor as to why he is experiencing these symptoms in his legs.
Redacted also told me, after I asked, that at no time did Dr. Latimore-Collier check the pulses in his foot/ankle area. I find this hard to believe, given the swelling of the lower extremities. According to Redacted, his legs are swollen and hot and his feet are swollen. He reports that his skin is tight and when you push down into the calf, the indent lasts for minutes. This is not normal.
This was the second time that Redacted was seen by Dr. Latimore-Collier. When he was in the Emergency Care Unit (ECU) unit a couple of weeks ago from October 23-25, due to no feeling in his feet, she first met Redacted. He recounts that when he was there he told her that he would rather suffer in lock up, as the conditions in the medical unit where he was staying were far more restrictive, and he recounts that she told him, and I am paraphrasing, “your wish is my command, ” witnessed by Officer Redacted, who was in the room. This comment seems totally inappropriate to me as Redacted’s placement should have been determined by his medical needs, and not Redacted’s wishes.
With regard to the scheduling of the neurologist and Dr. Rahimi, the vascular surgeon, Redacted informed me that Mr. Thomas made a comment that “he would try to speed this along,” and I am paraphrasing, Redacted reported that he also said, ” there are people in the street that have appointments so you may have to wait 30,60, to 90 days for any appointment.” If this is factual, I am shocked that any health care personnel would say something so lacking in empathy and so unkind to a patient who is in extreme pain. Redacted has already waited months for a medical diagnosis which is still in question.
Redacted told me he did discuss his pain with Dr. Latimore-Collier, as he described to me and as I mentioned in the last email, and there was no discussion as to how they would treat him. I cannot understand how this issue is not being addressed. The lack of attention to his pain is of paramount importance as this affects him emotionally and systemically. It seems logical that a pain management consult would be in order as he is going on three months of chronic pain.
Redacted also recounted that the psychiatrist, Dr. Musser, came to see him today. He told me that she said his antidepressant, Wellbutrin, was most likely going to be taken off the list of acceptable medications for the prison. Is this true? He told me that she wanted to change his medication to Cymbalta, which he told her he has tried in the past with poor side effects. He also told me that he discussed the current medication and how it was working very well and that he felt better with the increased dosage of 150 mg three times per day. As per Redacted, he told Dr. Musser that he didn’t want to change medications since he felt better on the Wellbutrin and that her response, according to Redacted, was that if he stayed on that medication, if/when the drug was removed from the list of acceptable medications, that he would have to stop “cold turkey.” According to the research that I have read, it is recommended that when discontinuing these types of antidepressants, it is done gradually to reduce any adverse symptoms that could occur.
In conclusion, from my perspective, the outcome of this visit is confusing, as there seems to be an ambivalent attitude regarding Redacted’s care. On the one hand, the doctor is recommending that he be referred to specialists, with which I totally agree, but on the other hand, he is being left to suffer, in pain, while he is waiting for an appointment and diagnosis. In my opinion, the need for both should be concurrent.
Why is Redacted’s healthcare, while imprisoned, seemingly so different from when he was out in society? He should be treated with the same dignity and respect at South Woods as any other hospital or medical institution of care.
Sincerely,
Susan Guardia
