Readers’ Forum
Positively Aware will
treat all communications (letters, faxes, e-mail, etc.) as
letters to the editor unless otherwise instructed. We reserve
the right to edit for length, style or clarity.
Write to:
Positively Aware,
5537 N. Broadway St.
Chicago, IL 60640-1405
Fax: (773) 989-9494
E-mail: readersforum@tpan.com
Subjects:
Of
Service
Animal Rights
Positive Empowerment
10 Ways to Mess Up Your Meds
Positive Riders
Knowledge
Survival
Who Moved My Cheeks?
Sudden Death at Corcoran
Of
Service
Please find my enclosed donation
in response to your recent letter. I wish it could be more,
but it’s all I can afford at this time. I am a 14-year survivor
of HIV infection, Burkitt’s B-Cell Lymphoma (four years ago)
and a myocardial infarction (last year). I recently celebrated
my 40th birthday. Your publication is an outstanding service
to the community, especially to those of us long-term survivors
who look to it for the latest developments in HIV treatment.
Thank you for your noble service to the community and I hope
Positively Aware is published until a cure is found.
Name withheld,
Pembroke Pines, FL
Animal
Rights
In “A
Lad and His Dog” [May/June 2002], we hear of a dog locked
up for 24 hours. Dogs are not there to “take care” of you.
We must provide for them. My partner and I have three German
Shepherds, and we would never think of going all day without
attending to their needs.
Name withheld,
Chicago, IL
Editor’s Note: You are
absolutely right. However, the point of the article was that
Dickie helped a depressed man with AIDS to live a full life
once again. Thank you for reminding us all that we need to
take adequate care of our animal companions.
Positive
Empowerment
You warmed my heart when
you asked to publish my article [May/June
2002]. Thank you. I will try my best to stay in contact
with you and I hope more positive sisters in prison will contribute
empowerment messages.
Beverly Henry 72830
510 23 02L
POB 1508
Chowchilla, CA 93610-1508
10
Ways to Mess Up Your Meds
Item No. 8 [Medicine
Chest, May/June 2002] hit home with me because a couple
of my meds are twice a day and one is three times a day. I
just started the later med earlier this month. After reading
your article and talking to my sister, a nurse, I will begin
taking my meds at the appropriate interval. Thank you very
much for the insight.
Name withheld,
via the Internet
Positive
Riders
Thanks to Jeff Allen for
a great write-up about the AIDS
Ride. Out here in the [Chicago] ’burbs, I’ve been posing
the challenge that the experience of the ride is invaluable
(the health benefit, as well as experiencing the power of
positive support and positive community). It does about as
much as any medical and psychological treatment for effective
healing.
Brad Ogilvie,
via the Internet
We have an annual Life Ride
in Michigan, and we ride from Jackson to Saugatuck. This year’s
ride is on July 19 - 20. The cost is just $50 and there’s
no minimum pledge requirement. We always have some positive
riders, and would love information on how we can get the orange
flags.
Mary Boudreau,
Lansing Area AIDS Network,
boudrea1@pilot.msu.edu
Knowledge
I am sick with both HIV and
HCV [hepatitis C virus]. I can only blame myself for being
sick. And I can only blame myself for not knowing everything
about my illnesses. But this I can change by getting a hold
of everything I can to read and study. Positively Aware
could help me to gain more years to my life. Not only for
myself, but for other sick prisoners here.
Name withheld,
Beaumont, TX 77705-7635
Survival
I live out in the country
surrounded by people who are afraid of me because of HIV.
I’m also Native American, and the people here are prejudiced
against me on both issues. Your publication is a bright star
in my universe. I will not surrender in my struggle to survive.
Name withheld,
Spavinaw, OK
Who
Moved My Cheeks?
Jeff, I recently found your
article on the Internet (“Who
Moved My Cheeks?,” Nov/Dec 2000). It has a very positive
feel to it and I needed that. I am just starting to think
about doing some type of cosmetic changes, although I must
tell you that I think there has been an improvement to the
fat wasting in my face over the past three years since I stopped
using d4T [Zerit]. I have changed a number of the drugs, so
it could have been any of them. It is just that most of what
I read seems to point toward d4T. The clinic I go to in London
is beginning to do work with New-Fill [facial filling]. Thanks
again and enjoy life.
Name withheld,
via the Internet
Jeff, I liked your article
about your New-Fill experience [May/June
2002]. You may want to check my Web site, www.facialwasting.org
for all options. As you will realize, New-Fill does not last
very long. Polyacrylamide gel or Artecol are permanent and
so far safe solutions (8 years). You can access them in Tijuana
or Canada. I got polyacylamide in TJ and loved it.
Nelson Vergel,
Program for Wellness Restoration (PoWeR), www.medibolics.com
Yes, New-Fill is a great
product, but Dr. Stein’s technique is unusual. It doesn’t
seem to be the method used by Drs. Amard or LeGlenne in Paris.
Why didn’t he massage the patient afterwards? Why did he use
so many injections? It is wonderful that Mr. Berry’s treatment
is a success and the HIV community should be campaigning hard
for government and private insurance coverage for lipoatrophy
treatments. This is not cosmetic, but akin to breast reconstruction
or skin grafts. Keep up the information.
Name withheld, via the Internet
Editor’s Note: Dr. Daniel
Berger (also trained by Dr. Jorge Tagle) responds. “Dr. Stein’s
technique is one pioneered by Dr. Tagle, a plastic surgeon
who has been one of the other individuals who have revolutionized
treatment of facial atrophy in HIV-positive patients. Dr.
Tagle is internationally recognized for his work. Various
surgeons have different techniques, based on their experience
and training. Not to criticize one technique over another,
Dr. Stein and Dr. Tagle use different methods from Dr. Amard
in Paris, not just the injections in themselves, but they
instill a separate (third) layer close to the bone (periosteum),
which Dr. Tagle has found improves the outcome, potentiates
New-Fill’s effect and increases its durability. Also, there
is no clear proof that massaging the face has any further
benefit, unless the product is not placed in the right area;
then massaging helps move the product around in a general
location.”
Sudden
Death at Corcoran
Dear friends, please take
a minute to send a letter of protest to California Department
of Corrections Director Ed Alameida demanding an immediate
investigation into Jennnifer Sutton’s death—a sample letter
is attached. For those of you who can, please also fax copies
to Senator Polanco. Thank you. Judy Greenspan, HIV/Hepatitis
C in Prison Committee, California Prison Focus, 2940 16th
Street, Room 307, San Francisco, CA 94103; voice mail/fax
(510) 665-1935; www.prisons.org/hivin.htm.
Another Death at Corcoran
State Prison
“I have full blown
AIDS and can catch anything at any time. We are treated like
animals here and something should be done about it. I am dying
and I’m suffering and there is nothing I can do about it.”
This statement was part of a larger article written by Jennifer
(aka Jeffrey) Sutton, a transgender woman prisoner living
with HIV and hepatitis C at Corcoran state prison. Jennifer
died early Friday morning, May 3, 2002. She had tried to access
sick call and was feeling ill for a couple of weeks. Corcoran
staff did not even try to diagnose her failing kidneys or
her rapid deterioration. Jennifer finally received attention
when she collapsed on Thursday night and was rushed out to
the hospital, but it was too late to save her.
After our last visit with
Jennifer in October 2001, we wrote to the warden and chief
medical officer about her deteriorating condition. The return
letter we received was typical of the lies consistently made
by the Corcoran prison administration. We were assured that
Jennifer was receiving excellent care. I wonder if Warden
George Galaza and Chief Physician Nandan Bhatt still think
that Jennifer received good care?
Jennifer was not the only
prisoner receiving criminally negligent care at Corcoran.
We have always maintained that Corcoran is a punishment prison,
not a medical care facility (despite its sparkling new Acute
Care Hospital). Over the past six months, we have learned
of two other prisoners at Corcoran living with HIV whose kidneys
have failed. These two prisoners survived and are currently
on kidney dialysis three times a week. We have heard many
alarming reports about the state of medical neglect at the
prison. Last month, the only infectious disease doctor was
fired. Now the prisoners in the Chronic Infectious Disease
unit cannot even see a specialist for their condition.
Please send the letter below
or feel free to write your own.
Date: _______
Edward Alameida, Director
California Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 942883
Sacramento, CA 94283
Fax No. (916) 322-2877
Dear Director Alameida:
I have recently learned of
the death of Jeffrey (Jennifer) Sutton, C-01736, a transgender
prisoner with HIV and hepatitis C who died suddenly of kidney
failure at California State Prison - Corcoran on May 3, 2002.
Two other prisoners co-infected with HIV and hepatitis C have
also suffered kidney failure at this prison since December
2001. I demand that you immediately investigate this prisoner’s
medical treatment and death. Corcoran prison is well-known
around the country for its brutality against prisoners. Just
a few years ago, prison guards were indicted for staging gladiator
fights during which prisoners were shot and killed in the
exercise yard. I am concerned that prisoners with HIV and
hepatitis C will not be able to access adequate medical treatment.
If Corcoran cannot and will not give these prisoners the care
that they need to survive, I urge you to immediately transfer
these prisoners to a medical facility that will.
cc: Senator Richard Polanco,
Chair, Joint Committee on Prison Construction and Operations;
fax (916) 327-8817
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