A Very Disturbing Phone Call
Tonight I received a call from my son, Redacted, Redacted, who is currently housed in the medical clinic area. He was literally having a mental breakdown on the phone. He told me that he couldn’t eat, that he couldn’t deal with the pain, that he wanted to die, and he mentioned hanging himself in addition to other issues.
I tried my best to calm him. I could not console him. As the time ran down I told him to call my brother, his uncle, and talk with him. I waited to speak with my brother in order to get his perspective on Redacted’s condition. He agreed with me.
I called the prison and spoke with the CO’s and asked them to please have someone check on Redacted. I related that he was having a mental breakdown and I was extremely concerned that he may try to hurt himself. They took my information and told me that they sent someone over.
You can listen to all of the conversations as I’m sure they are recorded.
My question to you, Dr. Brewer, as the Medical Director, is how can Redacted be in such poor condition, while living in the medical clinic area, and no one seems to notice? He was crying, he was irate, he was showing symptoms of major distress. Is anyone listening? Does anyone care? Is anyone paying attention at all? Where is the compassion?
As I was talking with him, I was reviewing the fact that he was recently taken off suboxone and has been weaned down on the Wellbutrin. He suffers from major depressive disorder and anxiety, in addition to PTSD. Who is managing and documenting what is going on with him while he is being taken off these drugs? Clearly, there is a problem. Redacted is suffering. His emotional condition has deteriorated over the last month.
Redacted needs treatment for depression. The wellbutrin was working. Why did you take him off?
Why was he on Suboxone in the first place and now why has he been taken off? It is addictive. What has been the process for taking him off so as to avoid withdrawal symptoms?
This is your clinic Dr. Brewer. In my opinion, the responsibility ultimately is yours, to insure that your patients receive adequate care with compassion. By virtue of how the prison operates, I believe the mental health issues for Redacted have been exacerbated. The mental exhaustion of moving in between cells, being attacked and bitten by a cell mate, having so much of his personal property stolen every time he moves, feeling as though the medical staff does not care about or keep track of his well being, being told that he didn’t attend appointments when he was not brought there by the CO’s, and on top of all that, having his medication altered is over the top and would be for anyone.
I do not want to get a phone call telling me that my son is dead. If he were with me I would have brought him to the crisis unit in Riverview Hospital tonight. What are you going to do to help my son?
Susan Guardia
