Thank you both for responding. As I continue praying for my brother, you are in my prayers as well. Living with stage iv for 4 yrs. is very incouraging. I just feel so helpless and trying hard to hold back anger because of the way he's been treated. My brother is an inmate, in Arkansas. In Aug. of 2006, he developed chest pains and was sent to the infirmary. He was put on asprin. The pain continued and finnally after a month they took him to Little Rock for test. During these test, they found a small spot on his right kidney. When they took him back to discuss the test with him, he was told he had kidney cancer as well as 3 major blocked arteries. The prison and CMS (Cummunity Medical Service, in the prisons over the state of AR.) was made aware of his medical condition. The drs. in L/R wanted to take care of the heart first. Let him heal of that and then take care of the kidney. The drs. would make an appointment for heart surgery, CMS would cancell. When Earnest, would mention the spot on his kidney, CMS would tell him not to worry, it's only a mass. No medication was given for this.
In July of 2007, he became ill and in Aug. ( a year later) was finnally allowed to have heart surgery. I give God the glory because its unusual for the prison to do this. This a year later and still no med. was given for the kidney.
After heart surgery, he was given an appointment to come back 3 months later to take care of the kidney. Again, CMS would cancell appointments time and time again. It's only a mass, they would tell him, don't worry.
In April 2008, he became very ill. He was taken to L/R for test. When he went back for the results he was told the cancer had spread from the kidney to his right lung. They allowed him to have surgery and on the 26th. day of June ( almost 2 yrs later, when the spot was first detected), the drs. removed his right kidney, the lower lobe of his right lung and shaved 3 layers off his back muscle. He was on the table so long, the drs. closed him up and made an appointment for 30 days later (in July) for a follow up surgery on the artery. Again CMS cancell appointments. It's March of 2009 and no follow up surgery has been done.
As of today, he has a spot on his left kidney and multiple spots on his left lung. Last week he was finnally given medication, for the first time, for his kidney. Sutent.
CMS, knew for almost 2 yrs. he had kidney cancer and didn't do anything. No treatments or medication of any kind. I believe if they had treated or even removed the kidney when the small spot was first dicovered, he would not be going through what he's going through now. I feel as though CMS, has placed a premature death sentence on my brother.
I'm trying hard to keep my faith and yet so angry with CMS, for their uncaring attitudes toward inmates. His free-world dr. and the CMS dr. has agree'd that Earnest, has a yr. or less. By the two agreeing, my brother falls under an act that is called ACT290, which states an imate that has a yr. or less may be released. That paper work is in process now. My brother is a lifer with the possibility of parole. We've prayed for years for his release, but not this way. So I question myself, what did I miss? did I not pray right? ? ? I don't know. My prayer now is; God, You use this situation with Earnest, to get him out of prison and home with his family. Once you have accompished this, Lord heal his body, totally, completely and may that healing manifest from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. In Jesus name and to You and You alone, I give the glory!
If anyone is reading this, that has a loved one in prison, you must know, he or she , has no voice. You must be their voice. Make sure they put you on their medical information release form. CMS, does'nt have to tell an inmate anything. If your loved one calls or write's home and says he or she is sick and the infirmary won't doctor them, that's when you step in. You become their voice. Call the prison and the Medical Facility. Chances are, you will be put off, lied to, shiffed to one phone number to another, but don't give up. Call your State Rep. if nessecery. E-mail or write your Gov. and explain what is going on. Unless the family gets behind loved one's, a serious sickness will go un-treated. And remember, don't give up. I know it's only by the grace and mercy of God, that Earnest, got the surgeries he did.
I will continue to pray, that a cure for RCC is found soon. We don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow. His name is Jesus.
I pray the blessing's of Abraham over you and your families.