17 June 2021

 

     I have begun A History of Pictures by David Hockney and Martin Gayford.  I really do not like Hockney's art, but I love his insight into art history.  He is my kind of artist.  He appreciates and understands his place within the continuum of art history.

     Maybe it is my substitute for religion.  The human need to feel greater than oneself.  Being an atheist, I do not find it in one of the gods, so I find it in art.  An interesting idea.

    Alfred Stieglitz once argued art would become the new religion.

     Chad Martin had a few of us outside to take our photograph with illustrations we did for the Tri-County Overdose Fatality Review board..  It will be posted on the WI DOC website.  I was able to chat with my friend Kabe Harrah briefly.

     I finally received my Magic Mouthwash to help numb my throat so I can swallow seven days after Dr. Pophali recommended it, four of which I was in too much pain to eat solids.  Here is where the problem lies.

     I was always in possession of it!  I have 30 ml jars of CMP - ALUM+MAGL+SIMETH/LIDO  amongst my plethora of medications.  When I returned to the prison on June ninth, Fryczynski, RN reviewed my paperwork, and told me that the request for Magic Mouthwash was only a recommendation, but it would be passed on to my provider.  I told her I had not been able to eat solids that day, because it was too downright painful, and swallowing liquids and my own saliva was painful in itself.

     She obviously did not review my medication list, because had she would have informed me I already had access to it and, if I was out of it, i needed to reorder it.  As a lay person, CMP-ALUM+MAG+SIMETH/LIDO does not translate to Magic Mouthwash.  That is why we have medical professionals, and this one dropped the ball leaving me to suffer.

     I see Kira Labby, MD on Friday the eleventh, and I again bring up the Magic Mouthwash. She is surprised, because she received no such request.  Someone seems to have noticed that the request was for a medication I already had access to, therefore believing forwarding the recommendation to Dr. Labby redundant.  Labby says her assistant may not have gotten all the notes from the appointment into the system.  Again, Dr. Labby does not review my medication list and inform me I already have access to this drug, and if I am out, I need to reorder it.  She says she will order it for me.

     Again the ball is dropped.  I am at three days without solid foods living off my limit of three Boost a day and tea.  Yet very much in pain.  A simple review of my medication list would have prevented more pain and suffering.

     I begin eating solids on Sunday the thirteenth, but it is painful.

     When no Magic Mouthwash arrives on Monday I send in a Health Services Request form (DOC-3035R) which is responded on Tuesday the fifteenth, by the prison's led nurse Cindy Barton, RN, "Ordered, will send when received".  Again she failed to review my medication list and notify me I already have access to the drug, explaining its chemical name, and having me check to see if I have it.  The third medical professional at Redgranite's Health Services unit who has failed to do this very basic task.  Check a patients medication list and convert chemical names to layperson terms to review whether the patient may already have access to the drug.  As patients and lay persons, we are relying on our medical professionals to guide us through this, but they are not up to the task.

     On Tuesday the sixteenth I write our Health Services, manager Angie Thompson, RN, but Cindy Barton, RN, does not allow it to get to her boss's desk.  She answers the request slip (DOC-761), "This compounded mouth wash hasn't been requested by you until recently, it is ordered and will be dispensed when it arrives today or tomorrow.".  She attaches a "Med list," highlighting "AL hydroxide/Mg hydroxide/simethimicone (CMP - Alum+Mag+Simeth/Lidocaine 1:1)". 

     As a layperson there is almost no chance of me correlating that to "Magic Mouthwash".  This is why we have medical professionals to guide us through this stuff.  Add to that my cancer had entered the brain, and the latest MRI showed increased growth, meaning cognitively I am not at full strength.  Yet for an entire week our prison's medical staff failed me one after another, when a simple check of my medication list and a translation from medical terms to lay terms would have prevented a week of suffering.

     But for the first time in seven days one of RGCI's medical staff actually did check my medication list and informs me I already have access to the drug, highlighting what Magic Mouthwash is known as. 

      These reviews of Health Service requests are done first thing in the morning.  Cindy Barton, RN could have at that time called me to the Health Services Unit, or called the housing unit informing me that the drug has been available to me the entire time.  Instead she sends it through the institution mail and I go another two meals eating in pain unknowingly having access to Magic Mouthwash the entire time, not receiving this information until 7 pm.  Which is the same time I receive a new bottle of the "compounded mouth wash."

     Again another dropped opportunity to limit the pain and suffering of a patient under their care.

     In had a ZOOM meeting with Peg Swan of Forum For Understanding Prisons.  She wants to go ahead on trying to take my Executive Directive #31 to a class action lawsuit.  Once I get the warden's decision I will get copies to her.  That means I need to write up step two prior to getting that decision.

     She also wants the sentence modification reply with Walworth County.  I told her it might help others.

     She said I look tired.  I am exhausted.

     I decided to cut back on my running because I only have do much energy.  I enjoy it, but I enjoy making art too.  The latter has a deeper meaning to me.

     I worked on my paper mosaic collage while listening to the Bucks even up the playoff basketball series against the Brooklyn Nets.