This letter was written by a person incarcerated at Calipatria.
And yes it is difficult in many ways. I’ve been incarcerated for 19 years now, and been sentenced to LWOP so yes I’ve been through my ups and downs. But, yeah, this COVID pandemic has been horrible especially with us not being able to see our loved ones. It’s sad because you just can’t help but think of your loved ones out there and not being able to be there for them. So yes it does mess with you mentally, and that’s all they show on TV how people are dying of COVID by themselves. It’s sad.
My mom is diabetic and over the age of 65 years. Every time I get the chance to call, the majority of our phone time, I’m asking her to be careful, which I sometimes believe she gets tired of, but it’s OK. I love her and I also have my wife call her all the time, so I honestly just pray and leave it up to God to look out after them.
As for us in here? The majority of us have already tested positive for COVID. I tested positive back in November 19th. I really didn’t get that sick, but I did have the average symptoms, the no smell, can’t taste, but the worst part of it was that the prison didn’t really know what to do. They sent me to quarantine in a different yard by myself. They left my celly like if he wasn’t going to get it, so before they knew it the whole building had it. So they started moving everyone out to quarantine in a whole different yard until someone in the other yard got sick as well.
And also have us moving with one celly to another, getting us out of our comfort zone. And to top it off as soon as we quarantined for two weeks, they brought us back to our old yard and put us in a building with inmates who still have it?? Makes no sense.
So honestly, it’s been bad. I could say that besides not seeing my loved ones these last few months have been my worst. It is what it is. You have to maintain and be mentally strong, and then again it’s prison.
