I would recommend speaking with him about it if you can. My mother has stage 4 cancer, so I know what it’s like to get that news. Have you called the facility to tell them you have an emergency and need to inform your son of this? If you’d like, I can send an email to the prison administration to urge them to allow him to speak with you. We will send our prayers and positive thoughts. Please let us know of any way we can help. I’m sorry you are going through this, but keep fighting! People have proven doctors wrong all the time.

I will make a post on my social media to ask everyone.

Thank you for sharing. I have overcome addiction as well, so I in ow how difficult that is. Congrats on your recovery. It opens your mind to a whole new world. I was in the process of getting into peer support, but ended up doing case management, and helping those who are struggling. That is my paying job….then I manage Defund DOC with my husband who is also at AHCC. We ant to welcome yoyu, and if we can ever help in any way, please let us know.

Thank you for sharing your story, and welcome to the community. I will have to get the book when you are done with it. Both Daniel and myself, are very familiar with addiction and the struggles associated with it. I will share your story with Daniel, and we may contact you about you possibly doing a guest blog about your experience, or possibly a podcast. I will definitely be reaching out to you. Again, thank you for sharing. -Linda

Hello! Thank you for subscribing. The honest answer is we don't think about it. We seriously evade reminiscing or dwelling on life outside the prison bars. The fact of the matter is, this is our lives. While some live in squalor or mud huts, in foreign lands, we live here. We cope by siloing our existences to prison life (which, honest to be told, is full time sport itself requiring our full time attention all the politics, violence, and indifference, amongst other thing, causes us to be imminently present in our prison journey). We also have limited contact with the outside world. Only a handful of loved ones will endure the burden of an incarcerated family member, friend, or mate. This is largely due to two things: (1) State extraction of their funds for everything (i.e. communicating, commissary, property items, etc.), and (2) the evilness of slavery, without financial autonomy prisoners are essentially beggards which strips them of independence and dehumanizes them, and causes loved ones or friends to grow weary of them. This is the truth of the matter. We all just exist because this is our lives. Under the force and coercion of the State and it's policies we can hardly focus on anything but surviving and holding onto a few loved ones through the pain and hardships. I hope this answers your question. It isn't especially philosophical. But it is honest. I hope you have a great week! For simply asking this question I know you are a good person with a good heart! May you prosper and enjoy life! For you have a gift that many in our Country don't: Freedom. Please feel free to ask questions whenever you like! This is your community and we welcome you! Thank you again! -Daniel J. Simms

Hello everyone, I would like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Linda, and I am thrilled to be joining Daniel on this incredible journey of advocating for prison reform and spreading awareness about the importance of mental health care and substance use treatment. Allow me to share a little bit about my own personal story. For the majority of my adult life, I battled with addiction. It was a constant struggle that seemed to have an iron grip on my life. However, on July 2nd, 2017, everything changed. That night, in the midst of my darkest moments, a flicker of hope emerged. I stumbled upon a treatment facility commercial on TV, and it provided a lifeline – a phone number that could help me find the assistance I so desperately needed. With tears streaming down my face, I dialed that number and was advised to seek help at a detox facility due to my alcohol addiction. Without hesitation, I made the decision to check myself in. Little did I know that this choice would be the hardest, yet most transformative decision of my life. I spent close to two weeks in detox before being transferred to an inpatient facility. The journey was difficult, but it was there that I found the strength to overcome my addiction and begin the path to recovery. Upon completing the program, I knew deep in my heart that I wanted to give back and help others who were facing similar struggles. That's when I started working at the very facility that had once helped me. I began as a monitor, then moved into the role of healthcare coordinator, and now I am proud to serve as a case manager. Every day, I have the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life, just as others did for me. And then, I met Daniel J. Simms. It was as if our paths were destined to cross. We shared a common vision for prison reform, mental health care, and substance use treatment. Our shared passion and determination led us to embark on this journey together, to amplify our voices and bring about meaningful change. I am excited to be a part of this community and look forward to connecting with all of you. Together, we can make a difference and create a brighter future for those who need it most. Thank you for joining us on this remarkable adventure. Warm regards, Linda