This letter was written by a person incarcerated at Soledad.
Hi UCI student,
I hope everyone is doing good of health. Well I got your letter, and here I am sharing a little about my situation.
CDC tested me positive for COVID-19 on November 30. And right away, at the same timea they had to put me in a different building. So I’ve been here in isolation for two weeks. Nurses come by to check on vitals twice a day. Yeah!
It kind of shock me when they told me I tested positive. I had a clamp in my stomach. Then I had to pack all my property. The good thing is I didn’t have to push the cart too far. I just came next door. Being in here has been a new experience.
I seen people very sick, in wheelchairs, and others went well down, especially older inmates. I’ve been staying positive thinking, doing exercise inside my cell. I’ve been eating very good too. It is difficult when we are not prepared. I had no idea what COVID was. But now I know its kind of a flu type.
But it did took a lot of energy. I felt weak and tired for six days. I feel good now. I do my prayers everyday and I try to help others with what I can, lifting them with spiritual words or sharing what I have been going through.
Visiting was cancelled. Before the pandemic, I’ve been in Soledad almost three years. My family called to make an appointment about visiting but it got cancelled. But I still write letters or call my family. Yes I do get worried thinking about my grandma or other family members.
I don’t know how this pandemic is going to be out there. I just hope and pray we will all get through this COVID-19. Well I am sending lots of blessings to all of you students and teachers. And also thank you for your good thoughts. God bless you!
I almost forgot! Here they were testing for COVID once a week. We had homemade mask which inmates make at PIA. But when I tested positive, CDC gave me a new N95 mask. I think they gave us those masks kind of late.
Here COs, nurses, inmates, staff, most of the population have tested positive. Four inmates here at Soledad have died so far. It’s sad but true. F-wing is the last wing that got infected. At the beginning we were getting our meals on the same trays. Then we got paper trays for people that was in quarantine. Now here we get green trays I guess for infected inmates only.
Well I hope you can understand my writing and I hope you like my story. Thank you for your time and thank you for writing to me.
Happy holidays and happy 2021.
