Wednesday, October 31, 2007

TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH WARDEN CHANDLER

10/30/07 – I called the prison at 9:15 a.m. to find out how Montell was doing. I talked with Lynne in Medical and she stated she couldn’t tell me anything, I needed to talk with Warden Chandler. I asked her to transfer me to her office. The secretary told me that Warden Chandler was on the phone, so I asked her to have her call me on my cell phone and left my number. I received a call from the Warden at 4:28 p.m. She stated that she had been quite busy today however, she had been in the Infirmary but did not check on Montell. She told me that she had fed him some sherbet on Monday and she would continue to feed him all the sherbet and pudding he would eat. I told her that when I arrived at the main gate yesterday Officer C. Dunn immediately told me that I was supposed to visit Montell on Wednesday. I responded by telling her she needed to check with the Warden, she did. I also told her about being escorted down the hall whenever the nursing staff was in Montell’s room. I feel that this isn’t necessary for I am not crazy enough to do anything to anyone who is trying to help him. She assured me that this would not happen again. She also told me that I wouldn’t have to ask for paper and pens again that there would be some in Montell’s room at all times. Personally, I feel that some of her staff need some “Sensitivity and Interpersonal Skill Training” for they have no idea how to deal with the public.

PRISON VISITS WITH MONTELL 10/27 THROUGH 10/29

10/27/07 – Today I arrived at the prison and was escorted to the infirmary. When we got there Montell was in the laundry room/visiting room for me in his gerry chair. He had a knit cap on, hospital gown that wasn’t fasten at the shoulders (he usually have on his long sleeve thermal shirt), no socks on his feet (his right foot was touching the cold floor and one blue blanket over him. I tried to pull the blanket down and cover up his foot. The room was cold and Montell kept saying he was cold, even I was cold and I had on a knit long sleeve sweater.. There was nobody around except me, him and the guard. Today the washer and dryer were both going for about an hour. I asked Montell if he was trying to eat because he needed strong muscles and he knob his head up and down. He then wanted me to do the ABCs and he spelled out “that I was his strength”. As I was driving back I thought of this and it made me smile. I only stayed for an hour and twenty minutes because he was getting weak and wanted to go back to his room, so I asked the guard to escort me back to the main gate. For the life of me I can’t understand why they just didn’t let him stay in his room and I visit him there, he would have been more comfortable. When I got to my car I called the prison back and spoke to a Lieutenant Mekeel and told him about the visiting situation. I told him that they were well aware of the fact that Montell had just gotten out the hospital yesterday and ask him if they were trying to make him get pneumonia now. Montell is very weak and we will have to do the surgeries soon. I don’t want him to get any more infections. KSB Hospital has done a tremendous job in bringing him back from near death and I don’t want the prison to put him back in the same situation.
10/28/07 – Today I visited with Montell. I was escorted to the infirmary by a guard. When we arrived at the infirmary, we went straight to the laundry/visiting room which was still cold. As I approached the area where Montell was at I could hear the dryer going. Montell was lying in the gerry chair. He had two blankets on him, a knit cap, socks and his thermal shirt on. Montell was a little verbal today but it was hard trying to figure out what he was saying. When I couldn’t he would start crying. I tried to encourage him to do the ABCs. Montell spelled out to me that he hated that gerry chair and wanted to go back to his room. He wants to know why I can’t visit him in his room. I told him I would call and ask Warden Chandler in the morning, since she once told me she had no problem with me visiting him there. When Montell is in the gerry chair he lying directly on his bedsores and he’s uncomfortable. Montell is getting his color back and his eyes look much better however, he really needs to be shaved. I asked him if he was eating to get muscles for me and he nodded his head up and down. I noticed that he was having quite a few spasms which seemed to be wearing him out so after about 40 minutes I left so they could take him back to his room and he could lay on his sides rather than on his back.
10/29/07 – This morning at 8:05 a.m. I called Dixon and spoke with Warden Chandler. I asked her if I could come out and see Montell everyday because of his condition. I also asked her if I could visit him in his room because he was uncomfortable in the gerry chair because of the bedsores. She said yes I could visit him in his room. I told her that the doctor had told me that he only had three months to live if I didn’t do anything. (So far nothing has been done about cleaning out the wounds.) I told her that Montell had told me that I was his strength and I had asked him to eat his meals in order to get strong muscles for me. She stated that nobody visits the facilities everyday and then said that she would have to find something out and get back to me. I told her that I needed to know at least by 10 or 10:30 a.m. in order to get there by l:00 p.m. At 9:58 a.m. she called me and said the best she could do was allowed me to come out two days during the week and one day on the weekend. I arrived at Dixon at 1:10 p.m. and got to Montell’s room at l:30 p.m. He was lying on his right side. He immediately let me know that he was unable to talk today by me going through the ABCs. He wanted to be covered up. I asked him if he was eating and he had me spell out “Why eat”. I told him that we were a team and he had to hang on in there and I would do what I had to do. He nodded his head up and down as to say “yes”. He also had me go through the ABCs and spelled out “Be real I have MS”. I told him that we could beat this if he didn’t give up. I asked him if he wanted to leave mommy and he shook his head from side to indicating “no”. He let me know that his right hand was hurting because of being handcuffed to the bed in the hospital. He wanted to be reposition in the bed and tried to ring the nurses’ station with the call button with his mouth. I told him not to do this because he would get germs. When the nurses came in I stayed in the room and they moved him around. Montell kept trying to reach the bed rail with his right hand and I noticed that he has very little strength in it now and he can’t hold on to the railings for very long. After awhile Montell began to become uncomfortable again, he said he wanted his head higher. I tried to reposition him again but wasn’t very successful. I went across the hall to the nurses’ station and a nurse came out to see what I wanted. This time the guard sitting in the station told me I had to go down the hall while they reposition Montell. I was escorted down the hall. When I got back in Montell’s room the left side of his face was buried in a pillow and he couldn’t see out of his left eye. I moved his head so he could see out of his left eye. I also noticed that Montell was having quite a few spasms and they were coming regularly. I told him that the Warden wouldn’t let me come every day and he began to cry. I told him that if he closed his eyes he could see me any time he wanted too. I told him that I would come and visit him on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays until we could get this straighten out. At 2:50 p.m. the officer told me that I had five more minutes when I should have had 35 minutes more however, he was getting off his shift and my visiting time was cut. Montell reached for my hand and held it and didn’t want to let it go, he began to cry. He didn’t want me to leave him. I kissed him and told him I loved him and he indicated the same. As I left the room tears came in my eyes. I don’t understand how people can be so uncaring.

MONTELL SNATCHED FROM HOSPITAL AND TAKEN BACK TO PRISON

10/26/07 – Today Montell was bought to the University of Illinois Outpatient Clinic to be evaluated by Surgeon Joseph Vertello. I arrived at 9:30 a.m. just in case they brought Montell in before his scheduled appointment. His appointment was for 11 a.m. I was supposed to be in the examining room when the doctor saw him. Lt. Davis from Stateville came out and talk with me he told me that if I had any problems to call him and that he had been instructed to make sure that everything ran smoothly. Dr. Vertello came into the waiting room and called my name. I followed him where Montell was and kissed Montell. I thought he was just getting there but found out from Dr. Vertello that he had examined Montell and that he couldn’t schedule him for surgery for two or three week. He stated that he couldn’t admit him into the hospital. I asked him what was I supposed to do. He informed me that I could take him to the emergency room and might admit him. I asked the guards and ambulance people to take him to the emergench room across the street from where we were. However, the ambulance people began to raise the stretcher up and a guard stood in front of me so I couldn’t get to Montell and told me that they were taking Montell back to the prison. I asked them to wait while I contacted my Attorney but they just started rolling him out. I tried to contact Lt. Davis but the call went into his voice-mail. However, I was able to contact Ted Pearson and he heard what was going on. Lt. Davis called me as I was leaving the hospital and I told him what had happened and he told me that no one had informed him.

VISITING PERMITTED 10/19 THROUGH 10/25/07

10/19/07 – Today I drove to Dixon and signed in and then went to KSB Hospital to see Montell. He was supposed to be having surgery today but it was rescheduled.
10/20/07 – Today I went to Dixon Correctional Center and signed in however, I was told that they didn’t have anyone to come over to the hospital to search me. I had called them at 9:30 a.m. after I had received a phone call from my Attorney that I was supposed to meet Dr. Kohn a neurologist at the hospital and be there when he examined him. I waited about 30 minutes and told the guard I had to leave for hospital so that I wouldn’t missed the doctor. She informed me that if I left I wouldn’t be able to see Montell. I called my Attorney and he advised me to leave however, I had to wait until another visitor was coming into the facilities in order to get out the door because its locked and they buzz you in and out. When the opportunity came and she buzzed the people in I slipped out the door and went to the hospital. They were trying to keep me in the prison so I would miss the doctor. To my surprise when I arrived there, there was a female officer already there along with Officer Dupree who informed me that when the doctor came I had to leave. I informed him that I knew my legal rights and that I was supposed to stay in the room while he was being examined but that he had to leave. When Dr. Kohn arrived Office Dupree stayed in the room. As the doctor was examining Montell I got a chance to see his body. His buttock looks so bad, he practical raw back there, I wanted to cry but wouldn’t in front of Montell. The doctor then told me that Montell had approximately three months to live if he didn’t have the surgeries and if he did he had six months to live. I’m not worried because I have faith in GOD and know that he never fails. In all Montell is supposed to have four surgeries. After Dr. Kohn left, Montell let me know he was cold. While I was covering up his right side my earring slipped out my ear. When I went to the left side of the bed to cover him up I noticed that Officer Dupree got up from the chair and came over where I had been standing and then went back and sat down. He then told me that I had dropped something, I told him that I didn’t think so and he informed me that I had dropped my ear ring. When I went to pick it up I noticed that it had been smashed. I didn’t say anything to him but I did report it to my Attorney and to Assistant Warden Trancoso. Montell does not want to be chained to the bed.
10/21/07 – Today I went to see Montell. Montell wanted to tell me something so I ask Officer Simpson if I could use one of the pen he had in shirt pocket and if he would go into the washroom and get me some paper towel to write on. He told me that he didn’t loan his pens out and if I wanted one I had to get it from the nurse. So, I pressed the call button for the nurse. When she came in I asked her for a pen and some paper. She bought them to me. Officer Simpson evidently thought I was going to be crazy enough to go out the room to get them. I hated pressing the call button but I had been told from day one that if I left the room my visit would be over. I noticed that Montell kept having spasms they came in rapid session, he would have three or four within a two-minute time frame, Montell constantly complains about being chained to the bed. I told him that if I could I would take those cuffs off him and throw them in the river. Montell is a human being and not an animal. Humans shouldn’t be chained. When I left the hospital I called Warden Chandler and asked her if I could bring in my own pen and paper. She told me that she would let me know. I later received a call from her telling me that I could.
10/22/07 – Today Dr. Khawaja told me that he was planning on doing surgery on Montell in the morning. I told him that I appreciated all that they had done for Montell but would like to have him transferred to the University of Illinois in Chicago for his surgeries. He agreed and said that he would have the nurse start making arrangements for the transfer and that he would probably be leaving in the morning. He told me to call the nurses’ station at 9:30 a.m. in the morning and they would let me know when Montell was leaving the hospital. Montell is looking better but he’s still complaining about the handcuffs on his right hand.
10/23/07 – I didn’t go to visit Montell today because he was supposed to be coming to the University of Illinois. They didn’t bring him.
10/24/07 – When I arrived at the hospital today, Nurse Ollean told me that Montell wasn’t eating well. I told her that he would eat. As I arrived at his room the feeder was coming out with his tray. I told her to leave it in the room and I would feed Montell. Montell’s food has to be pureed and thickened. On his tray he had cream of chicken soup, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, applesauce and Ensure Plus and lemonade which was honey consistency, Montell ate all the food but it took me approximately one hour and twenty minutes to get him to finish tray. I see the problem of him not eating as to the fact that the person feeding him doesn’t take the tine that is required. During this time he wanted to communicate to me by me saying the ABCs.
10/25/07 – This morning I called KSB Hospital and asked them to keep Montell’s lunch tray in his room so that I could feed him. Today lunch was cream of chicken soup veal cutlet-ground, mashed potatoes and brown gravy, squash (he tasted it but didn’t eat it, I wish I had some brown sugar to make it sweet and he probably would had eaten it), sliced peaches (pureed), lemonade (honey consistency). He ate every thing except the veal which I tried to fool him and but in his mashed potatoes but he doesn’t eat meat. He held up his finger to tell me to feed him one thing at a time. I told him that I still couldn’t fool him.

DENIED HOSPITAL VISIT WITH MONTELL

10/18/07 – Today I had to go to Court regarding Montell. When I left Court I drove to Dixon and went to the correctional center and I was denied visitation, so I drove back home.

VISITED MONTELL IN KSB HOSPITAL

10/17/07 – Today we went to Dixon Correctional Center and signed in and then drove back to KSB Hospital to see Montell. When Dametra and I got there, we had to wait for a guard to search us and then we were allowed a two-hour visit. There is a male guard in the room at all times. Montell’s right arm is handcuffed to the bed. His has left arm has IV and antibiotics inserted in it. Dametra and I both notice that the left side of his face was dented in and that around the left side of his eye was swollen and there was a bruise on his eyelid. I questioned him about it and then Supertindent Dusing stood up and spread eagle at the foot of the bed railing and Montell told whispered “Let it Go”. This was clearly a form of intimidation. Montell continually complained about being chained to the bed. Where is he going? He can’t walk or do anything for his self, this is inhuman.

Montell Admitted to KSB Hospital on 10/15/07

10/16/07 – At 4:30 p.m. Assistant Warden Trancoso called me and told me that Montell had been admitted to KSB Hospital in Dixon on 10/15. I told him that I would like to visit Montell he stated that I could come out that evening or in the morning. I called Dametra on her job and we decided to go that night. I was afraid to drive because I had been to the doctor that morning and didn’t know how the medicine would react in my body. We drove out to KSB and when we got there we were denied visiting privileges. Officer J. Shank in Montell’s room told me we had to go to the prison and sign in and then come back. This was impossible because the prison was closed it was after 9 p.m. I insisted on seeing Montell and Officer J. Shank had the hospital to call the police on us because it was after visiting hours. We left peacefully.

Denied Visit for the Sixth Consecutive Time

10/12/07 – Dametra and I went to visit Montell today.and our visit was denied by Assistant Warden Trancoso what had written a letter to Andy Lambertson, AAG dated 10/10/07stating that we would be permitted to visit Montell because he wanted to see us. However, when I told him about the letter that had been faxed to my Attorney he acted as if he knew nothing about it when in fact he was the person who wrote and signed the letter.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Denied Visits Five Consecutive Times

Yesterday (10/5) I tried to visit Montell. I arrived at Dixon’s main gate at 1:30 p.m. Officer Lawry escorted me to the infirmary however, when we got to the second floor of the infirmary I wasn’t allowed in. The guard stated that I had to wait for the Warden to come over. We waited approximately 35 minutes. I saw her walk past me through the window to the door (West Wing) which was locked where Montell is housed. He’s in cell 23. Five minutes later the Warden Chandler came out and said Montell didn’t want to see me but he would see his sister. However, the Warden had been made aware of the fact that she hadn’t accompanied me on this visit.

Montell couldn’t have told her he would see his sister instead of me because he wasn’t aware that she was coming. I feel that once the Warden knew my daughter wasn’t there because I had called them Thursday, October 4th and told them she would be coming she decided not to let me see Montell for the 5th consecutive time. I will continue to go out there every Friday. I will not stop trying to see my son.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Denied Visit For The 4th Consecutive Time

On 9/27 I called Dixon at 8:32 a.m. and asked for Warden Nedra Chandler to let her know that I was coming out there on 9/28. I spoke to Diane who took my name and number and said that the Warden would be getting back to me. She never did.

On Friday, 9/28 I called Dixon and asked to speak to the Warden again at 8:30 a.m. This time Diane transferred me directly to the scheduling department and I spoke with Lynne. I told her that I was on my way out there. I arrived at Dixon at 12:55 p.m. When I arrived at the front desk the officer told me not to sign in, I did any way. She stated that she had to make a call and see whether Montell was accepting visits that day. However, while sitting in the waiting room I observed that she didn't call any other inmate to ask whether they were receiving visits that day. She would called the visitor's number and let them sign in and then took the women into the room where they search you and they were allowed to go directly into the visiting room. She then call and told them which inmate to bring down so they could meet with their visitor(s). It seems mighty strange to me that I am the only one that this calling procedure is done on.

At 1:50 p.m. Warden Chandler came into the waiting room and sat down by me. She stated that she had talked with Montell and he was having spasms in his legs and didn't feel up to having a visit today. I then asked her why I couldn't go directly into his room and she stated that she had no problem with that. I've actually been banned from his room since September 2006 when I rolled him over and found bedsores. From that time on I've had to visit him in what I would call a "laundry room" and they call it a visiting room. At that time I was told that I should have never been allowed in his room. I had been visiting him in his room from April 2006 to September 2006. When I left the facilities I made sure that I signed above my name that the visit was denied.