Week #2 & 3 … “Again.. this is NOT Camp Cupcake!!!”

September 14, 2017- September 28, 2017 

So, week #2 is complete. I’m learning more than I wanted to know about this life and about what is really going on in the life of the federal government. I was worried that I would make someone angry and get myself in trouble if I kept blogging.. until I was reminded about my 1^st amendment rights! But really, I feel as though I no longer have any rights or any opinions at all. I must say I had absolutely no idea at all just how many people are serving years in prison over first offenses. There are hundreds of women who have been given sentences of 10, 12, and 15 years for things such as mail fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, possession of some type of drug, etc.… But when did this happen? When did first time offenders start having to do so much prison time? I am truly amazed at this situation. It is so very sad that this has turned into such a “big business”!

The set up here is the same as the set up in “Orange is the New Black”. Which took place in Danbury prison camp. It is supposedly “nicer” than this place! I’ve met some incredible women. While in the “Bus Stop” you are forced to basically sleep on top of the person next to you. The superintendent/principal of a Detroit school is on my left. We will call her Ms. J. Then Ms. TR, who is the person on my right is a very sweet girl. She hears voices. Her son’s little baby just died of SIDS and two days later her son hung himself. She cannot leave here to go to the funeral. The women in the unit took up a collection of food and made her a “basket”. She has been crying for two days. She calls me her “Ride or Die”! Ms. M, is my bunkie in the bus stop. She is in the bus stop over disciplinary action. She has done some years, and is very talented at knitting and prison cooking. Those are pretty much the women who are surrounding me in the “bus stop”! They are all waiting for a cubicle too!

My next group of women are women who came to my rescue to help me when I got here and was totally lost for the first week. Ms. W, was supposedly the “mentor”. She looks and acts like “Piper” on Orange is the New Black. She’s an attorney and should NOT be a mentor by ANY MEANS!! She certainly does not know how to help the newcomer!! I am a “Prison Newcomer” ahahah !! Ms. W, the mentor, is a snob. Her Bunkie is Ms. G, and Ms. G is really cool!! She has helped me tremendously! She is showing me the ropes. She also has a great belief in God and she has prayed with me many times these first few weeks! Finally! My new BFF is Brandy. She is in here serving a 15-year sentence for crystal meth. She has served 12 years and is hoping that the 1^st offenders motion will be passed in November, and she will get out in November 2018. She is 42 years old, and she is from North Carolina. She works very hard and she is a truly fascinating young lady. I am amazed by her ability to keep a positive attitude and to stay focused on a task 100%! Then there is Granny!! (I might have to bring her home with me from here…… do not tell my family hahaha!!) Granny got arrested for selling pain pills. She has been here 2 years and she has 2 years left. She is 68 years old. I love her to death. Everyday there are more women to add to the list. This is a life of its own. I cannot imagine settling into being here for years and years. However, many are left with no choice whatsoever.

The saddest situation is that nothing mentioned on the Alderson website is offered here anymore. There are several beautiful cottages where inmates used to reside. Martha Stewart had every one of them shut down because they are full of asbestos! So, they are standing there taking up space doing nothing. EMPTY. There are no tennis courts, no swimming pools, no racquet ball etc. Nothing offered on the website is here. Nothing. There are 1,000 women here with basically nothing but idle time and a bunch of rules. Very punitive. Not rehabilitative. I am very aware that this is prison. However, the majority of inmates are here on drug charges. They need rehabilitation… DUH!!!!!

So today I finally got moved to a cubicle!!! Hurray!! My Bunkie is 31 years old. She is a heroin addict, and she was given 5 years for selling a few grams of heroin. She had 4 kids and lost her parental rights. First offense. She has been in treatment one time. She clearly needs long term treatment. I 12-stepped her las night of course and tried to get her to come to the meeting with me. She said she would come next week. I believe she will. She is full of fear and sadness. This disease has stripped her of everything. It is so very sad. She needs a chance to recover. Her group of friends are all addicts. They all need meetings. I’ll get them!! One by one. They all need educated and informed. They have no clue about addiction.

I guess I found ONE reason for why I am in here.

So, when is the new Prison reality show on the 12-step program!!!!! Getting clean in prison!!! Easy as 1,2,3,4! There is a heroin epidemic world! We need more recovery. Why is this taking so long to figure it out?? There has been a reality show on every damn thing from housewives to the Kardashians to teenage moms! Where is the 12 steppers reality show? OH! Right here! From 1960’s Drug addict to heroin addict to rehab in 1983 to Masters/Doctorate – married with 4 children- therapist- to ASI and MES to PRISON! Come on— who would NOT watch this show!! Hahaha

Well, I am all settled into my new apartment guys! I have been in prison for 3 weeks already! And I hope time continues to fly by! I will be learning to KNIT soon! Stay tuned to what is coming next!!

Thank you all sooooo much for your letters and emails!! They mean the world to me and I would never have been able to get through what has been the worst 2 years of my life without your love and support. Love you all!! #GameChanger #Wave #AheroineStory

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