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Update on Walter Francis Fitzpatrick, III
REPORTS: SLEEPING ON FLOOR, DIABETIC FOOT ULCER, POOR HYGIENEby Sharon Rondeau
The Post & Email
Sharon Rondeau
1/8/2012
Excerpts:
"Visitors to see Walter Francis Fitzpatrick, III at the Monroe County jail over the last two weeks have reported that Fitzpatrick has a diabetic ulcer on his heel and rarely gets to shower. The risk of skin infection for diabetics necessitates scrupulous hygiene and can lead to amputation if the wound does not heal properly. Elevated blood sugar levels present in diabetes cause skin wounds to heal much more slowly than in patients without the disease.
The NYU Langone Medical Center reports that “Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU’s) are highly prevalent and the primary source of hospitalizations and amputations in persons with diabetes.” Ulcers are a result of decreased blood flow to the area and loss of sensation. The medical team at the center recommends that diabetics “wash…feet daily” and “The moment a person with diabetes suffers a break in the skin of the foot, they are at serious risk of amputation due to their bodies [sic] weakened ability to fight infection. Of the more than 20 million people in the US with diabetes, as many as 25% will develop a foot ulcer in their lifetime. Of these, 14-24% will end in amputation.”
Complications of diabetes can lead to sepsis, a severe bacterial infection of the blood.
When we asked one visitor if he believed the ulcer was improving over time, he responded, “I have to trust the nurses. They inspect the ulcer and change the bandage daily. Not sure about impeccable hygiene, however, when you have human excrement on the floor you are sleeping on.”
Another observation reads:
The Commander spends most of his time in Cell #9 which is normally reserved for unruly inmates. The only connection this cell has with the outside world is when rain water blows through the wall and wets the floor. There is no sense of day or night or changing seasons. Walt is alone in this cell for long periods which results in mental confusion and disorientation. This is defined in Amendment VIII in the Constitution as cruel and unusual punishment and as such has not been allowed since the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791....
The Commander is a political prisoner, in fact. He has no recourse from his condition. He is in pseudo solitary confinement without access to a telephone or any means to prepare himself for future defense in court. His treatment is unconscionable and unlawful in the 21st century."
View the complete article at:
http://www.thepostemail.com/2012/01/...tzpatrick-iii/
REPORTS: SLEEPING ON FLOOR, DIABETIC FOOT ULCER, POOR HYGIENEby Sharon Rondeau
The Post & Email
Sharon Rondeau
1/8/2012
Excerpts:
"Visitors to see Walter Francis Fitzpatrick, III at the Monroe County jail over the last two weeks have reported that Fitzpatrick has a diabetic ulcer on his heel and rarely gets to shower. The risk of skin infection for diabetics necessitates scrupulous hygiene and can lead to amputation if the wound does not heal properly. Elevated blood sugar levels present in diabetes cause skin wounds to heal much more slowly than in patients without the disease.
The NYU Langone Medical Center reports that “Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU’s) are highly prevalent and the primary source of hospitalizations and amputations in persons with diabetes.” Ulcers are a result of decreased blood flow to the area and loss of sensation. The medical team at the center recommends that diabetics “wash…feet daily” and “The moment a person with diabetes suffers a break in the skin of the foot, they are at serious risk of amputation due to their bodies [sic] weakened ability to fight infection. Of the more than 20 million people in the US with diabetes, as many as 25% will develop a foot ulcer in their lifetime. Of these, 14-24% will end in amputation.”
Complications of diabetes can lead to sepsis, a severe bacterial infection of the blood.
When we asked one visitor if he believed the ulcer was improving over time, he responded, “I have to trust the nurses. They inspect the ulcer and change the bandage daily. Not sure about impeccable hygiene, however, when you have human excrement on the floor you are sleeping on.”
Another observation reads:
The Commander spends most of his time in Cell #9 which is normally reserved for unruly inmates. The only connection this cell has with the outside world is when rain water blows through the wall and wets the floor. There is no sense of day or night or changing seasons. Walt is alone in this cell for long periods which results in mental confusion and disorientation. This is defined in Amendment VIII in the Constitution as cruel and unusual punishment and as such has not been allowed since the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791....
The Commander is a political prisoner, in fact. He has no recourse from his condition. He is in pseudo solitary confinement without access to a telephone or any means to prepare himself for future defense in court. His treatment is unconscionable and unlawful in the 21st century."
View the complete article at:
http://www.thepostemail.com/2012/01/...tzpatrick-iii/