prison health news
-better health care while you are in and when you get out-

Issue 2, January 2004

Who We Are...

We will be talking about health
issues. For example, what is good
nutrition? Where can you get
services and information on the
outside? We want to take your
health questions seriously and
break down complicated health
information so that it is under standable.
We’re also here to help you learn
how to get better health care
within your facility and how to get
answers to your health questions.
Don’t get frustrated. Be persist ent. In prison, it’s often hard to
get what you want, but with
health information, it doesn’t have
to be impossible. Join us in our
fight for our right to health care
and health information.

Escape from Time by William DuBeck, Books Through Bars, Contexts Collection

We are on the outside, but we
were inside before. We’ve been
where you are now and know
what it’s like...and survived it. We
offenders talking about
are ex-o
health issues and trying to bring
about a positive change for all
people who are in prison now or
ever have been in the past. This
newsletter is about all of us.

In this Issue:
Dear Readers.........................................1
Words to Live By...............................2-3
3
HIV and Hepatitis C
Co-IInfection.......................................4-5
5
Nutrition.............................................6-7
7
Write An Article!...................................7

Read on...

Resources
for People in Prison.............................8

From,
John, Waheedah, Patricia, Brian,
Jaci, & Sam

Subscribe!...............................................8
page 1

Words
to Live By...
by Stefan, a former inmate living with HIV
In 1999, five days before I was
released from prison, I found out I had
HIV. I have been living with HIV for
4 years now. It was really hard for me
to accept that I had HIV at first, but I
have now accepted it and I am dealing
with my health accordingly. I have
learned a lot about myself, my family
and dealing with the system. I would
like to share my story with you so that
it might help you in some way.
Living with HIV
One day when I was in prison, I felt
a lump on my neck, so I put in a sick
call slip to get it checked out. The
doctor said that it was a cyst and he
wanted to test it. The test did not tell
the doctor that I was HIV positive, but
the doctor recommended that I get
tested. My HIV test results came back
positive. I had HIV. It was hard for
me to accept. I was very depressed. I
didn’t want to talk to or see anyone.
While I was alone, I did a lot of reading. I read the Bible, HIV information, and whatever I could get my
hands on. This was my way of coping.
Family
When I found out I had HIV the only
person that I felt comfortable telling
was my aunt. My aunt had worked
with people who had HIV, so I thought
it would be easy to talk to her. But I
never expected her to betray me. My
aunt told everyone in my family I had
HIV. How could she do that to me? I
was not ready to tell anyone else yet. I
was so upset with her. It took me a
long time to forgive her. I was able to
forgive her because she didn’t tell my
family so she could hurt
page 2

me. She was concerned about me. I
don’t agree with what she did, but I
understand. You know what? If I ever
need anything or want to talk to someone she is the first person I call.
Dealing with the system
Housing. After I got released from
prison, I went to live in a shelter. No
one told me where to go when I got
out, but it did not matter to me,
because I had lived in a shelter before,
so I knew where to go. I was in a
shelter for five months before my case
manager helped me find a place to
live. I now live in a long-term residential facility for people with mental
illnesses. I did not like it here at first,
but I eventually got used to it. It is a
really nice place. I have cable, I get
fed well, and I can wash my clothes
here. I get $205 every month from
welfare, and the house takes 70% of it.
So I end up with about $50 a month.
It doesn’t sound like a lot, but I don’t
need much. Everything is taken care
of, so I just use my money to buy junk
food and a hoagie every now and then.
Benefits. I applied for SSI, but I got
arrested while my case was being
reviewed. When I was released, I
found out that my request for SSI was
denied. The SSI people said that even
though I have HIV, my health is good,
and my T-cell count would have to be
below 200 for me to qualify for SSI.
But I know that because I also have a
mental illness, I do qualify for SSI. So
I am going to appeal the decision. It’s
frustrating dealing with the system.
But if you deserves something, you
need to fight until you get it.

Artwork: Freedom by Juan Balderama, Books Through Bars, Contexts Collection

Personal Insights
Honesty. If you want help, you need
to be honest. How can someone help
you if you do not tell them the truth?
The quickest way to lose someone’s
trust is by lying to them.
In the middle of March I was ready
to give up. I was ready to drop my
clothes off at a friend’s house and go
back out on the streets. One day I was
sent to the store, but I never made it to
the store. Instead of buying food, I
bought drugs. When I went back
home I had to explain why I didn’t
have the food or money. I could have
easily lied. I wasn’t happy with what I
had done. But I wanted help, so how
would lying get me help? I had to pay
back the money I spent, but I gained
their trust. Even though I had made a
mistake, they understood because I
was honest. They trust me enough to
send me to the store even today.
Knowing yourself. Whenever I go to
the store someone goes with me. They
did not say I had to take someone with
me. I decided to do that. I feel like
I’m not ready to be in that environment yet, so I asked if someone could
go with me when I go to the store.
I eventually want to get a job, but not
right now. I am not good with money,
and I do not want to put myself in a
bad situation. I just need to work on
one thing at a time.
If you fall, just get back up. I could
have easily decided at any point to go
back on the streets, but I didn’t. I did
not because I want more for myself. I
also thought about being on the streets
and having to deal with the weather. I

have to take care of myself, and hot
weather wouldn’t help. It is okay for
me to make mistakes. Nobody is perfect. What you need to do is get back
up and take things one day at a time.
Get connected. Someone asked me
once: What advice would I give to
someone who was about to be released
from prison? I said that people need
to find an agency where they can get
help and support. I’ve been going to
Philadelphia FIGHT. They are the
type of people who do not judge you.
They have helped me get housing,
medical care, and education.
You also need to find someone you
can talk to about HIV/AIDS so you do
not feel like you are in this alone.
And honestly, you are not. There are
people who really care. Whenever you
talk with somone, you need be clear
about what you want them to do with
that information. If you want them to
keep it to themselves be sure to tell
them that.
Bottom Line
Everybody’s experiences with the
system are differently. Just because I
don’t qualify for something doesn’t
mean you cannot get it.
You may not know where to go or
even where to begin when you get out.
There is a list of places on the last
page of this newsletter, so you can get
connected with people who want to
help you. If your city is not listed,
write to the people at Prison Health
News. They will find people to help
you.
A special thanks to Kimberly Rogers, who
helped me write this. ~S
page 3

HIVbyand
Hepatitis C Co-Infection
Tracy Swan
Hepatitis C Basics
Hepatitis means inflammation of the
liver. There are different kinds of hepatitis--it can be caused by a virus (like
hepatitis A, B, C, D, E or G) or by
heavy drinking, certain medications, or
chemicals that a person inhales.
The liver sits under the rib cage on
the right side of the body. The liver is
the body's filter and processing plant.
It breaks down anything that passes
through your body: what you eat,
drink, and breathe in everyday.
Hepatitis C is a virus that affects the
liver. Not everyone with hepatitis C
will get sick from it - about 30% of
people with hepatitis C will never
have any symptoms or any serious
liver damage.
Who has hepatitis C?
Globally, about 170 million people
have hepatitis C; at least 2.7 million
people in the United States are living
with hepatitis C. Between 12% and
35% of prisoners have hepatitis C.

page 4

Preventing hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a tiny, tough virus. It
lives in blood. Because it is small,
there is a lot of it in a drop of blood.
And because it is tough, it is hard to
kill. No one knows if bleach kills
hepatitis C, or how long it takes for
bleach to kill hepatitis C.
You can get hepatitis C from sharing
injection drug equipment (including
cotton, cookers and water). About 7090% of people who have ever injected
drugs, even once, have hepatitis C.
Sharing razors, toothbrushes, and tattoing needles/inkwells can be risky,
because they may have an infected
person’s blood on them.
You can also get hepatitis C from
unprotected sex, but it is easier to get
hepatitis C from injection drug use.
HIV and hepatitis C
If you are HIV-positive, you should
get tested for hepatitis C. About
16–30% of people with HIV are also
co-infected with hepatitis C. Most
people who got HIV from shooting
drugs also have hepatitis C.
Most co-infected people got
hepatitis C before HIV,
because hepatitis C is a
smaller and tougher virus
than HIV, so it is much
easier to get than HIV.
Hepatitis C gets worse
faster in people with
HIV. But remember that
everyone’s body is different. Some people will
get sick quickly, but others stay healthy for many
Rage, Ed Chaparro,
years.
Books Through Bars, Contexts Collection

Treatment for hepatitis C
Not everyone with hepatitis C needs
treatment. If you do, treatment for
hepatitis C is a combination of
ribavirin (a pill) and interferon (given
by injection). There are two kinds of
interferon: standard (one shot three
times a week) and pegylated (one shot
per week, because it stays in the body
longer than standard interferon). The
combination of pegylated interferon
and ribavirin works best. Treatment is
usually 48 weeks long and gets rid of
hepatitis C in about 50% of people.
No one is sure if interferon and
ribavirin work as well for people with
HIV. We do know that hepatitis C
treatment does not work well for people with fewer than 200 CD4 cells. If
your CD4 count is low, you should see
if you can get on HIV meds to
strengthen your immune system before
thinking about hepatitis C treatment.
Treatment Access in Prison
Access to good medical care and
treatment for hepatitis C in prison is
very hard. Throughout prisons in the
U.S. people with hepatitis C have been
denied treatment, and many were not
even told been told when they tested
positive for hepatitis C.
Activists are fighting for hepatitis C
care and treatment for all people in
prison, but it is a long struggle. Write
to the National HCV Prison Coalition
for your DOC’s policy on hepatitis C.
Keeping Your Liver Healthy
In the meantime, you can help keep
your liver healthy even if you do not
have access to good medical care and
treatment in prison.

*Drink lots of water. Water helps
your liver by flushing out the body.
*Eat less fatty and salty foods. They
are hard for your liver to break down.
*Cut down or stop drinking. Alcohol
is very hard on your liver and does
make hepatitis C worse.
*Get vaccinated against hepatitis A
and hepatitis B. Getting another virus
in your liver can be dangerous!
*Get your liver enzymes checked
regularly. Most facilities offer these
tests, because liver enzyme levels are
checked when you do a standard blood
test. High liver enzyme levels can be
a sign that your liver is damaged. (But
a liver biopsy is the only way to know
for certain if you have liver damage.)
*Write to the National HCV Prison
Coalition for information and help.
Remember!
Hepatitis C is a slow virus. It takes
15-50 years before people develop
serious liver damage from hepatitis C.
If you are in prison and cannot get
access to medical care or treatment, do
not panic. Most people have awhile
before their hepatitis C gets serious.
*Take it easy on your liver. Drink
lots of water and try not to eat a lot of
fatty and salty foods.
*Keep an eye on your health. Put in
a sick call slip if you get swelling or
pain in the right side of your belly.
*Develop a relationship with the
doctor at your facility.
*Write to advocates on the outside
like the National HCV Prison
Coalition (resource list, page 8) who
can help you advocate for the care and
treatment you need. ~TS
page 5

Nutrition
by Kimberly Rogers
We have all heard about the food
pyramid, but most of us just eat what
we want. Who wants to make a full
meal when you can just grab a hoagie
and fries? Being nutritious has not
always been number one on our list of
things to do, but it needs to be.
The Basics
Being infected with HIV/AIDS can
be very hard on your body. Your body
is constantly fighting an infection,
which means your body is using up a
lot of energy. It is very important for
you to fill your body with food, so that
it can continue to fight the infection.
Eating a lot of food will not help you
if you’re eating the wrong foods.
* You need to eat protein to build and
maintain your muscle. Examples of
protein are: meats, fish, peanut butter,
beans, nuts, chicken, milk, and cheese.
* You need to eat carbohydrates to
give you energy. Examples of carbohydrates are: pasta, potatoes, bread,
cereals, fruits, and vegetables.
* You need to have some fats in your
diet, too. Try to consume more “good
fats”, which come from plant sources
(margarine, olive oil, vegetable oil)
and less “bad fats”, which come from
animal sources (meats, butter).
Good Nutrition on the Inside
In prison it can be hard to get a lot of
the foods that are really good for your
body. Prison food is generally very
starchy and really high in fat. You do
not often get fresh fruit, vegetables, or
whole grains. Here are some tips for
getting better health care on the inside:
*Talk to a doctor at your facility.
You might be able to get a
page 6

prescription for multi-vitamins, a
snack, or a high-protein diet.
*See if you can order peanut butter
or fresh fruit from your commissary.
*See if you can get food sent in
through care packages. Some facilities
will even let you get care packages
with fresh fruit and vegetables.
*If you can work, try to get a job in
the kitchen at your facility.
*Drink as much water as you can.
*Educate yourself about what food is
good and bad for you.
Exercise!
Exercise will help you keep your
body healthy. Try to do something
active every day, like jogging or playing basketball. If you have a gym at
your facility, lifting weights will also
help keep your muscles strong. If not,
push-ups and sit-ups will do the job.
Water, Water, Water!
Drinking a lot of fluids is very
important, too. Your body needs at
least 8-10 glasses of water a day to
keep everything working. Caffeinated
drinks like coffee and soda make you
dehydrated. You are actually losing
water when you drink these things! So
reach for water or juice if you can.
When you don’t feel well...
Your body may go through many
changes while you are fighting HIV,
but it is important to remember that no
matter how bad you feel you must eat.
Here are some tips for when you are
not feeling well. If you have…
Diarrhea/Fever/Sweats
*Drink lots of water
*Eat white bread, crackers, white
rice, oatmeal, bananas, and applesauce.

Artwork: Untitled by William Gilpin, Books Through Bars, Contexts Collection

write an article!
*Limit your intake of fatty foods, caffeine, dairy foods
Nausea/Vomiting
*Drink lots of cold drinks (water &
juice to replenish the nutrients lost)
*Eat cold foods & dry, salty foods
(crackers, pretzels)
Constipation
*Drink lots of liquids (cold or hot)
*Eat bran cereals, whole grain breads,
pastas, brown rice, beans, fresh fruit with
skins, and fresh vegetables.
If you have diarrhea, fever, sweats,
nausea, vomiting or constipation that last
for more than 24hrs, PUT IN A SICK
CALL SLIP. You need to see a doctor to
make sure nothing serious is going on.
The Bottom Line:
1. Eat well, even if you are not feeling
well. Your body is working overtime.
2. Drink lots of liquids, especially
water and juice.
3. Exercise regularly.
~KR

Thank you for
all your letters!!!
We have gotten over 500 letters
from people in nearly every state.
We are answering letters as quickly
as we can, so please keep writing!
For 2004, we will be trying to have a
more regular publication schedule.
We are aiming to publish Prison
Health News four times a year. So
keep a look out, and send us any artwork, helpful tips or articles to
include in the 2004 issues.

We have gotten lots of
requests for articles already, and
we know that everyone who
reads this newsletter will have
questions or his or her own
story to tell.
If you have advice for other
prisoners dealing with health
issues, write to us. We will feature you in “Words to Live By.”
If you have a question, write to
us. We will write you back and
may publish an article on your
question in Prison Health News.
If you want to write an article
on something you think is
important for prisoners’ health,
send it and we will consider
publishing it in Prison Health
News. You can also write us first
to discuss ideas for articles.
If you want your name kept
confidential, you can sign your
article with your first name or
“anonymous.”
In coming issues, we will cover:
* Nutrition,
* Exercise,
* Getting Support While You Are
Incarcerated,
* How to Advocate for Yourself,
* HIV Treatments,
* Hepatitis C Treatments,
* Treatment strategies for HIV
and hepatitis C Co-infection,
* Depression,
* Getting Out,
* Staying Clean When You Get
Out,
* Welfare, Food Stamps, and
Medical Assistance,
* Housing,
and much more!
page 7

resources
for people in prison
If you need help while you are in, or when you get out, contact:
In Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia FIGHT
1233 Locust Street, 5th Floor
Philadelphia PA 19107
(215) 985-4448--no collect calls
Contact: Laura McTighe

In New York City, NY

Women Prison Association
& Home Inc.
175 Remsen Street, 9th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 797-0300--for collect calls from
New York Jails/Prisons
(718) 637-6818--no collect calls
Contact: Leah Bundy

In Miami, FL

In San Francisco, CA

Continuum Springboard
225 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 823-0414 --no collect calls
(415) 823-0415--no collect calls
Contact: Helen Lin or
Charlie Wilson

In Houston, TX

Houston Montrose Clinic
215 Westheimer
Houston, TX 77006
(713) 830-3000--no collect calls
Contact: Chris Jimmerson
Every organization on this list provides case management, medical care
and support services for people when
they get out of prison. Most of these
organizations specialize in care for
people with HIV. Every organization
distributes Prison Health News.

Care Resource, Miami
225 N.E. 34th Street
Miami, FL 33137
(305) 573-5411--no collect calls
Contact: Pedro Torres
If you need resources in a city not listed here, write to us!
We will help you tack down anwers to your specific questions.
Write to us if you know a great organization that is missing from this list.

If you need information while you are in, contact:
Project Inform
National HCV Prison Coalition

Outreach and Education Department
205 13th Street, Suite 2001
San Francisco, CA 94103-2461
information & newsletters on HIV
*free to prisoners

Fortune News

Subscriptions
c/o The Fortune Society
53 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10010

newsletter on criminal justice issues
*free to prisoners

prison
health
news
page 8

Edited By:
Laura McTighe,
John S. James,
Kimberly Rogers,
Tiffany Smith,
John, Waheedah,
Trish, Brian, Jaci,
Brunilda, & Sam
We are grateful for
financial support from
Boehringer Ingelheim
and Orthobiotech

Hepatitis C Awareness Project
PO Box 41803
Eugene, OR 97404

newsletter & information on hepatitis C
*free to prisoners

Prison Legal News

2400 NW 80th St. #148
Seattle, WA 98117

newsletter on prisoner rights&court rulings
*sample issue $1. unused stamps OK.

subscribe!

If you would like to have Prison
Health News mailed to you, write to:

Prison Health News
c/o AIDS Library
1233 Locust Street,
5th Floor
Philadelphia PA 19107
All subscriptions are free, and are sent
First Cllass.