To surmount the situation of oppression, people must first critically recognize its causes,so that through transforming action they can create a new situation,one which makes possible the pursuit of a Fuller humanity. — Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire
I had been B-Line for months now, and people would come visit me and field ministers would come pray and play music for us, and one of them I knew really well. The man would minister to me and we would have these conversations about the resistance and unionization, and how impactful its been for the unit as a whole. On this day,he’d told me a field minister died. The man was a father of three, married and was about to get sent somewhere to begin his journey of field minister job. However, something had happened to one of the Providers on the unit, who was known for denying all medical needs to inmates.
This man had been diagnosed with H-pylori bacteria, and they told him there was nothing they can do about it. Well, I tell the guy, why didn’t you tell me sooner, that’s bullshit they can’t do nothing about this. His response was, he didn’t want them to retaliate on him and take his visitation or something. Anyway, I was like don’t worry about it I’m going to show you its bullshit. The next day I put in to get checked for H-pylori and they drew blood from me within the week. Nothing happened, it took them a couple of months to give me my results, but someone in that medical department was holding the results hostage.
I don’t who or how, but it ended up in the mail, absent right to my cell, lo and behold I was positive and on the high side of infection. Well, I get the results and walk them to my visit, and the nurse had said I was going to see a provider, and she asked me why I was there. I said I’m positive for H-pylori, and she said how do you know? I flipped the blood test results out and she panicked, she went straight to the nurses and began bombarding them with questions as to how I received my results. After this she prescribed three different antibiotics, some generic pepto bismol pills and sent me on my way.
The following weekend the field minister comes to me, and I show him the meds and my results. He was in tears. He couldn’t believe his friend was left to do for nothing, just because the provider was trying to save money for the state. The story was that after that, he was told there was nothing they can do for him, he began to waste away, and within 3 months he was pale and skinny ,and walked into the medical department and begged them to please help him, he couldn’t take it anymore. They said he was rushed to the emergency room where he died of cancer caused by the H-pylori infection, and its intentional neglect by the staff there at Darrington Unit.
This was of course my next campaign, with help from certain people, we told the entire unit what they did. We asked them all to get tested, and it began a slow movement, for months people were getting checked, and coming out positive for the bacteria. TDCJ was overwhelmed immediately and began trying to cover it up, getting rid of medical records and handing out antibiotics to just about anyone who was asking for them, no questions asked, the lastime I saw the man who I spoke to about this, all I could say was I’m sorry about your friend, but like I said, it was bullshit they fed him. He was lied to, and you guys bought it.
I just showed you what this agency is about, never forget it. Just because they’re in authority is the red flag, always question their motive, and if in doubt, get the outside to call in and question it.
Julio A. Zuniga 1961551
PO Box 660400
Dallas, TX 75266
Mongoose Distro 