Vicki McElroy #1028991 8D
W.E.R.D.C.C.
P.O. Box 300
Vandalia, MO 63382

February 7, 2002

State Rep. Charles Q. Troupe
State Capitol, Room 113
201 West Capitol Ave.
Jefferson City, MO 65101

Dear Rep. Troupe;

I am writing to keep you appraised of the situation with medical.

For the past 2 days Dr. Rakestraw has seen everyone with Hepatitus C that I mentioned in my letter to you. Rakestraw told Amy Mooney and I that our labs had dropped back down and we are doing good. Rakestraw told me that my ammonia level had gone down to 152 from 211.

I left Rakestraw's office and talked to the Nurse that does the blood work because I know that to test the ammonia level requires a special test and that one has not been done for over a month. I asked the Nurse if during my last two blood draws if anything more that a SMACK had been done, she stated, "no honey, that is a special test, I have to put it in the tube with the purple lid, spin it and then, put, it on ice." I said, "thank you very much" and went immediately back to Rakestraws office. I said, "Can you please tell me how you've determined that my ammonia level went from 152 to 211 when a test hasn't been done to test the ammonia level?" Dr. Rakestraw began stammering, I suppose searching for an answer and his nurse told me to "hang, on a minute." The nurse checked on the computer and she said, "no, we haven't tested for it and it is 211." I said, thank you very much," and left.

The point I am making is that we are at the mercy of what Rakestraw says, whether it is a lie or the truth. I believe that medical is in the process of changing what our lab tests actually are, to what they want them to say in order to clear themselves of any wrong doing. If I died today, Dr. Rakestraw could've said, "well, her labs were fine," clearing himself and CMS of negligence and indifference. Instead, I caught the lie he was attempting to tell me and had in fact entered on the computer as I sat there watching.

I don't know what can be done to stop this, but I want you to know that I witnessed what was being done with my own eyes and would be happy to take a lie detector test to prove it. This poses the question of whether or not Lavina Populus's records were altered as well.

Yesterday Sherry Snow #7707 saw Dr. Rakestraw, he told her that all her labs were good. The fact that she is not suffering severe complications at this point makes her and others that haven't yet developed symptoms secondary to the Hepatitus C, prime candidates for interferon therapy. Rakestraw told Ms. Snow that she did not meet the criteria. WH0'S criteria is this? Who determines who lives and dies? Who determines whether or not treatment will be granted? There is not a single female at this facility that receives treatment of any kind for the disease.

Ms. Snow also inquired about vitamins and supplemental vegetable sacks like the Diabetics receive. Rakestraw told her that during their meetings it was decided vitamins and vegetables were not necessary, yet everything we've ever read or been told by a reputable Specialist says that diet and vitamins are a crucial part of treating Hepatitus C and helping the body fight the disease.

I don't know what is going to become of us. CMS holds our lives in their hands and that is a terrifying thought when mass murder of prisoners is the thing they do consistently.

Thank you for your time and patience.

Sincerely,

Vicki McElroy #1028991

cc: Ms. Denise Lieberman, American Civil Liberties Union
Sister Fran
Mr. Louis Korn

P.S. I have enclosed a copy of the meeting with custody staff where the issue of Ms. Fletcher (the CCA assigned to placing prisoners in jobs) constantly over rides "Lay-In's" and "I.0.C.'s" issued by medical restricting them from work. Ms. Fletcher forces prisoners with these lay-ins and I.O.C.'s to work and calls medical prying into our medical issues (what happened to confidentiality?). The questtion was raised at the Counsel meeting about prisoners being forced to work even when they have lay-ins. As you can see the F.U.M., Mr. Jackie Thomas, concurred with Ms. Fletcher stating that prisoners do have to work even when medical has given them a lay-in for medical reasons.

Please excuse the typo's.