I am Sherry Peel Jackson, your former CPA.  I am writing you because I am concerned about my health and my life.  Prior to becoming a political prisoner I was the picture of health.  In late June, 2009 I started experiencing a rapid heart beat on an irregular basis.

Since this had happened infrequently in the past I did not think much of it.  However, in Mid July it started happening on a regular basis and I became concerned.  I went to the medical staff twice in Mid July only to be given a one-minute EKG test and powerful meds without proper diagnosis.  I did not take them because I had not been seen by a specialist.  One week later, on July 21 at 12:45am I left the dorm in flip flops to go tell the officers that I was having a heart attack.  The officers on duty called the ambulance and the ambulance checked my heart on their portable EKG machine.  It was beating at 150 beats per minute.  They took me to Leesberg (spelling) hospital where I remained until Friday, July 24th at 11:30pm.  During the hospital stay it was determined that my heart was healthy but my thyroid was producing too much hormone, thus speeding up my heart.

This is called hyperthyroidism or Graves disease.  I was given two medications by the hospital – Methimazole, which is an anti-thyroid agent used to reduce the amount of thyroid hormone produced by the body and Metoprolol, which is a beta blocker used to slow the heart.

The hospital doctor told me that in four weeks (approximately August 21) the prison medical unit was to do blood tests to determine how the thyroid medication was affecting my body.

The blood test was taken in late August and I was told that I would be placed on the appointment schedule to come over and review the results.  I was never called.  I went over in early September and inquired of Dr. DeLeon as to how to get blood test results.  He told me to put in a request to staff, so I did that on September 15th.  It simply asked to see the results of the tests.

Sometime after September 23rd I received a response in writing, from Ms. Marich, that stated that I could either make a sick call (come over early in the morning wait in line and fill out forms) or come to Open House to see the results.  Open house is held only on Thursdays from 3:00pm to 3:30pm.  I went to Open House Thursday September 30th and was told by Ms. Marich that she could not find the results! I watched her look through and around several piles of folders in her office but at no time did she look on a computer for them.  She told me to check back later.  On Wednesday October 28th I passed out around 4pm and was taken to medical and cleared.

On Friday October 30th my lips started turning black as if I had been a lifelong smoker.  By Sunday November 1st my lips were fully black.

My boss, the Chaplain, called medical and a male nurse was sent over from the medium security men’s prison on this complex (there are two maximum security, one medium security and one low security men’s prisons on this complex with the women’s camp).  He took my blood pressure and oxygen and said there was nothing else he could do.  He told me to go to sick call Monday morning, which I did.

I showed Mr. Coucho my lips and told him that something was wrong with my blood, I could tell. (I am leaving out gross details here).

He said I would be put on the schedule.  However, the very next day, Tuesday morning, November 3rd, I found blood in my stool and rushed over to medical because I am smart enough to know that this is a major problem.  I was chewed out for coming over to medical without a staff member telling me to come.  I told Charlie, the female nurse and Mr. Coucho the PA that I was in the hospital in July, never got the blood work results and something was terribly wrong.

I am 46 years old and I know my body!  I finally convinced them that I was not playing and was not stupid, so they ‘treated’ me with a packet for a stool sample test.  Mr. Coucho looked on the computer for the blood test results from August and found them there!

The blood test showed a problem with the thyroid way back then!

He said I would be put on the schedule for new blood work later that week because these results were too old.  He had a short conversation with Dr. DeLeon in Spanish and then said the thyroid count was off.

This was November 3rd.  I administered the stool tests and returned them to Nurse Charlie on Friday November 6th.

Today is November 26th, Thanksgiving.  I have not received the results of the stool test.  I have not been given any new blood test.

My neck is swelling up like a blow fish and I am having trouble talking.  I have been feeling very ill for the last two weeks.

I have a wonderful husband and two beautiful children.  I have already spent 21 months in prison for a non crime, and I refuse to come out dead or maimed for life.  I have not caused these people any problems.  This is no threat but just for your information.