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Prison Abuse

Sun, 01/24/2010 - 11:58

This is a story of a staggering atrocity that a woman seeking help, wrote to me at my website.

Here is her story:

"My 24 year old son began having grand mal seizures about nine years ago. Until 5 and a half years ago they were very far apart, and his doctor's recommended not to medicate him, explaining that the seizures may disappear completely as he ages as mysteriously as they began.

Then something horrible happened. He was charged with a crime he did not commit (which although his attorney compiled evidence clearing him, he was frightened into taking a plea bargain for 10 years in prison the night before he was to enter the not guilty plea).

The problem with his epilepsy was that on the actual night of his arrest, the officers interrogating him (who did not like his answers because they did not fit their theory of the crime) forced him to stand up for 12 hours straight without food or water in hopes of 'cracking' him.

The result of this was that he fell into a grand mal seizure in which he did not breathe for 10 minutes, and received a concussion. Instead of getting medical help, he was tossed in a cell and left to recover on his own.

This was to change the severity and frequency of his seizures permanantly. It is also probably related to the prosecutor's ability to maniputate him into a plea bargain months later which would never have stood if the case had been heard by a judge or jury.

My son has already served over half of his sentence, and has been brought back to life dozens of times by prison EMTs. He has been on lethal doses of Tegretol, Dilantin, and now Dilantin and Lamictal (300 mg & 400 mg per day each, respectively). I never know if my phone conversations with him will be my last.

My question is this, when the current dosage levels of these drugs quit working, and they will, is there any other medication being tested now that would be worth the risks, and have they found any effective substances for epileptics that do not cause Steven's-Johnson Syndrome?

Right now my son's seizures come in 3's, and always deprive him of oxygen and often cause injuries that in themselves are life threatening. Can you give me info on where I can find out about cutting-edge research on S-J syndrome and medications, including human studies being conducted? Is there anything known that might help keep him from getting Steven's-Johnson?"

I gave her several links, a list of anti epilepsy drugs (anti-epileptic drugs) with their possible side-effects: http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/medica...treat-seizures

I also included a site that helps give information for prisoners who suffer from epilepsy:
http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/sites/epi..._prisoners.pdf

And another website with a table of epilepsy drugs, brand names, average dose, treatment and possible side effects: http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/Ab...gsusedinadults

I also urged her to call her local State Representative and Congressman. Do you think she has any other recourse?

 

phylisfeinerjohnson

www.epilepsytalk.com 

Comments

Re: Prison Abuse

Submitted by zealot on Sat, 2010-10-23 - 10:39

Tadzio,

Good question.  My problem is the writing thing.  I tell them I am impaired, that I need to be interviewed, but "we don''t do that."

I also don't have a mailing addess so they can't mail me comlain forms, which I probably couldn't fill out anyhow.

I also have a problem with that "call if you're unconscious" thing.  I've been given similarly ludicrous directives.  Call 911 if you're having a Grand Mal seizure.  Yeah, right.  Once it's over, "Well, you're fine now."

The last time I was in the AtlantiCare ER the doc gave me a cursory neuro exam, which was terminated the minute he detected a problem.  I knew he found it because I was closely monitoring his reactions.  His pupils dilated and he immediately ended physical contact and literally jumped back away from me.

I was post-ictal and suffering terrible paraesthesia and weakness especially in my right arm.  He noticed all right.  If you remember, AtlantiCare equals Jewish Family Service in Atlantic County New Jersey.

The ER nurse had already accused me of "faking" the seizure.

Baruch Hashem.  Hoshia na.

Devorah Zealot Soodak http://psychout.typepad.com/ the zealot needs help!

P.S.  Please look at my censored comment on your ADA forum http://my.epilepsy.com/node/992026#comment-1038406   I had a h-ll of a time getting it passed the slam, spam, no thank you m'am, c-nsor trap and then it took me three tries to get past the captcha gotcha.

Tadzio,

Good question.  My problem is the writing thing.  I tell them I am impaired, that I need to be interviewed, but "we don''t do that."

I also don't have a mailing addess so they can't mail me comlain forms, which I probably couldn't fill out anyhow.

I also have a problem with that "call if you're unconscious" thing.  I've been given similarly ludicrous directives.  Call 911 if you're having a Grand Mal seizure.  Yeah, right.  Once it's over, "Well, you're fine now."

The last time I was in the AtlantiCare ER the doc gave me a cursory neuro exam, which was terminated the minute he detected a problem.  I knew he found it because I was closely monitoring his reactions.  His pupils dilated and he immediately ended physical contact and literally jumped back away from me.

I was post-ictal and suffering terrible paraesthesia and weakness especially in my right arm.  He noticed all right.  If you remember, AtlantiCare equals Jewish Family Service in Atlantic County New Jersey.

The ER nurse had already accused me of "faking" the seizure.

Baruch Hashem.  Hoshia na.

Devorah Zealot Soodak http://psychout.typepad.com/ the zealot needs help!

P.S.  Please look at my censored comment on your ADA forum http://my.epilepsy.com/node/992026#comment-1038406   I had a h-ll of a time getting it passed the slam, spam, no thank you m'am, c-nsor trap and then it took me three tries to get past the captcha gotcha.

Re: Prison Abuse

Submitted by 3Hours2Live on Fri, 2010-01-29 - 04:47
Hi Phylis, The post-ictal behaviour after a seizure is one of the most frequent stages involving discrimination and abuse by law enforcement officers. One occurrence of phenomena very similar to frequent post-ictal behaviour after strong seizures is the well documented case of Scott Norberg, who was alledgedly withdrawing from the effects of illegal drugs while suffering seizures, effects often of same phenomena like post-ictals. A negative summary is at: http://www.arpaio.com/blood-on-hands/3.php Some citations list the videos and legal documents as available on the internet with 80 or so similar cases just in Arizona. Tadzio

Re: Prison Abuse

Submitted by 3Hours2Live on Sat, 2010-10-23 - 04:57
Hi Phylis, Have you heard anything more about the legal case mentioned as "Daughters Blame Sheriff Arpaio for Dad's Death" involving the AED Keppra??? http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/04/08/26230.htm http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/290570 Tadzio

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