Journal_ Saturday 18th July 2020
Today the results of Covid 19 retesting began to come back and it is not good at all. The results are not yet in but so far, 400 or even more positive test have been found in the general population of Polunsky. I have a bad feeling about it this time. We have been on medical lockdown for 12 days days but the 14 periods starts over every time a positive test comes back. We’re screwed. There are units that have been on medical lockdown since March 2020, and I fear we have joined that number. I remain fairly certain that we will not have massive positive Covid 19 testing results on building 12 because we all in solitary confinement. There are 504 solitary confinement cells on building 12 and about 200 are used to house Texas death row. We’ve all been locked in our cells for 3 weeks now, so if there are positive cases among us, how is it happening?
Time will tell. I was hoping they could put out the flare up of Covid in the general population, but 400 or more cases and counting tells me that it’s out of control and really no way these devils can get it back under control. Everyone in general population will end up getting it, how will they prevent it? The question is : will we have it run through our numbers on building 12? All we can do is watch the slow motion train wreck and shake our heads in disbelief.
Sunday July 19th 2020
This morning I woke up to the guards walking around in full PPE gear (Personal protection Equipment): gown, face shield, goggles, N95 masks and gloves. The results are coming back from the Covid 19 tests on building 12 and the commanding officer on duty told us there were/are three positive tests on this pod. Everyone is going crazy, because there are more than a few positive Covid 19 test results on building 12.
Now they say there are 600 or more positive cases of Covid 19 in the general population and they have not yet gotten all the results from the test yet. The wheels have come off this thing here and who knows what will happen? It’s ironic, I expected this in March but it never came. I was 4 months early in my feeling that Covid 19 would get us. Just now, the commanding officer told 3 death row prisoners to pack their stuff and that they were moving. Today is Sunday, you never move on Sunday, unless something very unusual is happening. They are the guys who tested positive for Covid 19. The commanding officer just said it was 3 guys on this pod and now these 3 are being moved to quarantine.
One of the guys is downstairs from me. He never comes out of his cell though. The other two guys are in the next section, they are neighbors. How are these guys positive? They are not sick, so it is impossible to tell who is sick/positive and who is not when they show no obvious symptoms.
Monday 20th July 2020
Menu:
Breakfast: ½ pint of milk; 1 small apple; 1 peanut butter sandwich; 1 small piece of food loaf.
Lunch: 1 peanut butter sandwich; 2 slices of bread; 1 small beef sausage; 3 slices of canned pears.
Dinner: 1 Piece of bologna and cheese; 1 piece of corn bread; 3 baby carrots.
Here I am and it’s evening time. We got showers today and at noon time I went to attorney phone call and had a good call with Gretchen. It’s ironic that when I got to phone call, I get stuck out at the visit room for an hour or two, like it used to be when we had visits. I’ve learned that had 5 positive Covid 19 tests on death row and over 40 in ag/seg, which is general population in solitary confinement, on about 50 total. That seems like a lot for 500 prisoners who are in complete isolation in single man cells. The guys who are positive on death row are now on pod A, section A, which is death watch. As soon as the trio was moved from my pod, the guard removed PPE and things went back to “normal”. I don’t feel normal though. I feel like we have crossed over into a new reality that might be around for a long time. We’re supposed to go to commissary and be allowed to spend 15$. That is an issue now because they are not providing an over abundance of food for us. It is still food in a paper sack and I have decided to keep a menu so other will know what we are being given to eat. Not sure when we’ll be given this opportunity, to buy a bit of extra food. In the meantime, I do my best to make it here.
Tuesday 21st July 2020
Menu:
Breakfast: ½ pint milk; 1 piece of coffee cake; 1 peanut butter sandwich
Lunch: 1 small beef sausage; 1 slice of bread; 1 small bundle cauliflower; 1 small bundle brocoli.
Dinner : 1 salami sandwich; 1 peanut butter sandwich.
Last night, these devils were running phone calls. They were on Row 1, moving away from us so I have no idea when they might give me my opportunity to call someone. It’s 8 pm now and I do not see anyone going to phone call. The last time we were allowed to make a call was 22nd May, two months ago. I’m feeling pretty isolated right now. No calls, no visits, nothing, and no relief in sight, I don’t think. I have spent a good part of my day making origami. I have a few new figures I have learned how to make : a dolphin and a sea turtle. It felt good getting the hang of these new animals and now I have a different origami mobile to share. Sometimes I need something like that to keep my mind off the stress that swirls around me.
I was up until 3 am last night, listening to the radio and preparing some envelopes I want to mail out through the property officer, because I was hoping she would come through today, but no go. They put her on pod A, so who knows when might pick up property for mail out. That late night has me feeling slugging so I cam calling it a night early to be ready for the morning to hit it hard.