Coming out of 13 day lockdown with no form of communication to the outside world, we were out and about for a few hours, able to call families, then locked back in and communication taken back down for a separate incident.
Today February 5, 2025 we woke up still locked in. Today marks the forty-first day straight of being locked in, with no use of televisions, phones or emailing/messaging service. For several days we had 4 slices of bread, packs of peanut butter, and jelly for lunch and dinner. Many things happened, and I can tell you from this experience, I am hoping there is a positive to come out of all the negative that we have been going through.
9am this morning, our communication to families and our televisions were turned back on. What a rush as everyone here in the Glasshouse grabbed their tablets and their mp3 players and rushed to the computers to reactivate the first fourteen days of lockdown that all our tablets went into “Locked out” mode. A few guys in here just got called to pack up their stuff so I head upstairs to help Mr. DeLeon with his things. He recently returned from the hospital from getting his gallbladder removed and has been in much pain.
11:30am we see through the windows that the lunch cart is being wheeled into the unit, followed by a dolly carrying hundreds of paper bags piled into a plastic garbage bag.
12:10pm they call for chow and we all line up at the Glasshouse entrance to grab our trays and bags. In our tray they gave us a few small potatoes, one small hamburger patty and some vegetables with two slices of bread and two round slices of turkey for dinner. In the bag we received 4 slices of bread, a small packet of mayonnaise, and a pack of 4 cookies.
It’s nearing 1pm and as I walk towards my room, I look out the window and see the supervisor chaplain walking towards our unit. He comes to the door of the Glasshouse looking for me.
Chaplain: “Hey, get dressed”
Me: “Chaplain, I have no uniforms. During the shakedown last week, they threw away all my uniforms, all my legal work, and some of my property they felt was too much for me to have even though it was within the policy limits.
Chaplain: “What? You have no uniforms?”
Me: “Chaplain, the only guys here who may have their uniforms, wore them when they sent us out of the unit”.
Chaplain: “Oh my God, that is unbelievable. Let me find out if you guys can go the way you are”.
Me: “Ok, I will put my shoes on and get be ready just in case”
The officer comes to get me and several others who were going to the chapel to attend Catholic Services. As I get to the chapel, I see the volunteer waiting for us to arrive, and thankfully everything was already setup on the altar by someone. The chapel is a mess, there are books all over my desk, the restroom is no longer accessible to inmates, and the air conditioner is broken, so it is real muggy. I setup the microphone, and sound system for the volunteer, and the service begins.
After the service completes we all get escorted back to our units. There is a lot of movement going one. Several guys are packing their things getting moved to their assigned units, others are accommodating themselves in different rooms. Thankfully, I have a great roommate and am assigned to this unit. Someone comes over to me and tells me Mr. Rivero will be moving into the Glasshouse after count. Luckily the door from the Glasshouse to the main unit is unlocked and I go see Mr. Rivero.
He already has all his things packed and ready to go. I tell him I will be back after count to get him, and I head back to the Glasshouse. Time for count, and my roommate takes our turkey slices in a bowl, and covers them with boiling water so they heat up a bit, then using one slice of bread I make a turkey on bread taco and have that with a bag of chips. As the officers come around for count, we stand in our room and wait.
Count clears, and when the officer unlocks the door I head out to get Mr. Rivero. As I get to his room, I see him using his wheelchair to carry all his things. I was surprised to see how organized this little old guy was with all his property. We head over to the Glasshouse and straight to his room where he could start accommodating his things. Poor guy, he starts telling me how the officers threw away his stuff. Things like his denture holder, medical creams that are provided by the medical department, a small container with his razor, tweezer, and nail clippers, and several other items.
I head to the phone to call dad after 41 days of no communication. Then on to my room for a slice of bread, with some olive oil, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. No commissary, and only a turkey sandwich for dinner; we are scraping for food.
I just showered, and called mom, now time to sit and enjoy some television, to catch up on the world updates, being we also have not had television service in more than a month.
Father God, I try harder and harder each day to keep a positive mindset. I know there is no way there could be so much negativity and darkness even in a place like this. I am looking for the light at the end of the tunnel in all this, but I am not there yet. I pray dear Lord asking that you continue to guide me on the proper path to where this temporary suffering will end. I know in my heart oh God that there is a reason in all of this. Thank you Father for continuously watching over my family, friends and loved ones throughout these tough times. I ask in this simple prayer that you never leave my side and pull me closer when You feel me sliding away. Thank you God for all You do. Amen.
Eduardo L Valdes
02499-506
February 5, 2025
21:00
