Brian Howard, an incarcerated individual currently at the Federal Medical Center Fort Worth, is currently suffering a debilitating health condition which is being met with medical neglect. Mr. Howard is an insulin-dependent diabetic and suffers from high blood pressure, neuropathy, long-term effects of COVID-19, and sores on his feet. When he first reached out to us in the summer of 2021, Mr. Howard was FCI Memphis, a non-medical facility. Prior to arriving at FCI Memphis, Mr. Howard had an intensive schedule in order to keep his blood sugar stable: his care consisted of receiving 30 units of long-lasting insulin in the morning and 10 units of long-lasting insulin at night. Upon his transfer to FCI Memphis, the staff switched Mr. Howard’s medication plan, providing a mere 10 units of insulin in the mornings and absolutely no insulin at night. Mr. Howard never saw a physician before or after this change. His blood sugar was recorded at well over 300 mg/dL multiple times, a level far above normal. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a life-threatening condition that can lead to patients’ demise, even in hospital settings with constant care. Mr. Howard is not being awarded his basic health rights. His insulin doses are arbitrarily adjusted, only to be completely removed and ignored for long stretches of time. This sort of neglect has the potential to severely destabilize his health, and could cause dizziness, confusion, and even seizures. Due to the medical injustice and abuse of the staff at FCI Memphis, Mr. Howard experienced metabolic imbalance and subsequent acidification of his body that occurs due to a withholding of his medication.
Due to the continued denial of insulin, Mr. Howard developed a nickel-sized hole in his foot. He received care at an outside medical facility in July 2021, where he was given urgent direction to continue weekly medical care that his wound required if Mr. Howard was going to get better. Despite doctor’s orders, FCI Memphis prohibited Mr. Howard from being seen by the outside medical facility and FCI Memphis medical staff. The destruction of rights continues: Mr. Howard has also been denied access to his medical records by FCI Memphis.
When Mr. Howard reached out to The Remedy Project, we prepared a civil suit regarding this malicious medical neglect in early September 2021. On October 18, 2021, thanks to our administrative remedy, Mr. Howard was sent to an outside hospital and kept until October 25th to stablize his health and treat his foot wound. He was instructed to return 6 weeks later for a follow-up visit. As of today, it has been nearly 3 years since Mr. Howard has been to a hospital.
Finally, after continued medical neglect at FCI Memphis, Mr. Howard was transfered to a Federal Medical Center in the fall of 2023. He received antibiotics and his foot began healing, although he still suffers tremendously from his years of neglect. Brian's weight reached 300lbs, which caused some of the ulcers on his foot to rupture and get reinfected. He's now on weekly dose of Ozempic, which is causing extreme fatigue, gastrointestinal side effect. Mr. Howard was told by medical staff there that they are not required to chart what he's saying because it's normal. Mr. Howard’s partner, who frequently communicates with The Remedy Project about his well being, is worried that there is no end to the medical neglect, foreseeing that Mr. Howard could lose his foot.
Today, we are continuing to assist Mr. Howard in getting the medical treatment he deserves, and we have also submitted administraitve remedies to demand that his First Step Act credits are correctly applied so he can be released to the halfway house and to the comfort of his home and family this year.
Brian’s story illuminates the fact that, by and large, carceral systems do not care about the health of those they house. Not only did Mr. Howard get denied the care outlined in his medical records, but the prison staff have also seemingly sabotaged his efforts to correct this wrong by losing his original administrative remedy. As a result, Mr. Howard continues to suffer needlessly. No one––regardless of their incarceration status––should have their medical rights ignored, directly leading to a medical emergency, only to have that emergency neglected. Not only did FCI Memphis refuse to cooperate with orders of medical professionals to heal Mr. Howard, but they have continuously silenced Mr. Howard, inhibiting him from speaking out against this injustice. Join us in demanding that the Bureau of Prisons be held accountable for the years of severe neglect of Mr. Howard, and help us make sure he is released in a timely manner to his home, family, and his doctors.
Brian Howard, an incarcerated individual currently at the Federal Medical Center Fort Worth, is currently suffering a debilitating health condition which is being met with medical neglect. Mr. Howard is an insulin-dependent diabetic and suffers from high blood pressure, neuropathy, long-term effects of COVID-19, and sores on his feet. When he first reached out to us in the summer of 2021, Mr. Howard was FCI Memphis, a non-medical facility. Prior to arriving at FCI Memphis, Mr. Howard had an intensive schedule in order to keep his blood sugar stable: his care consisted of receiving 30 units of long-lasting insulin in the morning and 10 units of long-lasting insulin at night. Upon his transfer to FCI Memphis, the staff switched Mr. Howard’s medication plan, providing a mere 10 units of insulin in the mornings and absolutely no insulin at night. Mr. Howard never saw a physician before or after this change. His blood sugar was recorded at well over 300 mg/dL multiple times, a level far above normal. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a life-threatening condition that can lead to patients’ demise, even in hospital settings with constant care. Mr. Howard is not being awarded his basic health rights. His insulin doses are arbitrarily adjusted, only to be completely removed and ignored for long stretches of time. This sort of neglect has the potential to severely destabilize his health, and could cause dizziness, confusion, and even seizures. Due to the medical injustice and abuse of the staff at FCI Memphis, Mr. Howard experienced metabolic imbalance and subsequent acidification of his body that occurs due to a withholding of his medication.
Due to the continued denial of insulin, Mr. Howard developed a nickel-sized hole in his foot. He received care at an outside medical facility in July 2021, where he was given urgent direction to continue weekly medical care that his wound required if Mr. Howard was going to get better. Despite doctor’s orders, FCI Memphis prohibited Mr. Howard from being seen by the outside medical facility and FCI Memphis medical staff. The destruction of rights continues: Mr. Howard has also been denied access to his medical records by FCI Memphis.
When Mr. Howard reached out to The Remedy Project, we prepared a civil suit regarding this malicious medical neglect in early September 2021. On October 18, 2021, thanks to our administrative remedy, Mr. Howard was sent to an outside hospital and kept until October 25th to stablize his health and treat his foot wound. He was instructed to return 6 weeks later for a follow-up visit. As of today, it has been nearly 3 years since Mr. Howard has been to a hospital.
Finally, after continued medical neglect at FCI Memphis, Mr. Howard was transfered to a Federal Medical Center in the fall of 2023. He received antibiotics and his foot began healing, although he still suffers tremendously from his years of neglect. Brian's weight reached 300lbs, which caused some of the ulcers on his foot to rupture and get reinfected. He's now on weekly dose of Ozempic, which is causing extreme fatigue, gastrointestinal side effect. Mr. Howard was told by medical staff there that they are not required to chart what he's saying because it's normal. Mr. Howard’s partner, who frequently communicates with The Remedy Project about his well being, is worried that there is no end to the medical neglect, foreseeing that Mr. Howard could lose his foot.
Today, we are continuing to assist Mr. Howard in getting the medical treatment he deserves, and we have also submitted administraitve remedies to demand that his First Step Act credits are correctly applied so he can be released to the halfway house and to the comfort of his home and family this year.
Brian’s story illuminates the fact that, by and large, carceral systems do not care about the health of those they house. Not only did Mr. Howard get denied the care outlined in his medical records, but the prison staff have also seemingly sabotaged his efforts to correct this wrong by losing his original administrative remedy. As a result, Mr. Howard continues to suffer needlessly. No one––regardless of their incarceration status––should have their medical rights ignored, directly leading to a medical emergency, only to have that emergency neglected. Not only did FCI Memphis refuse to cooperate with orders of medical professionals to heal Mr. Howard, but they have continuously silenced Mr. Howard, inhibiting him from speaking out against this injustice. Join us in demanding that the Bureau of Prisons be held accountable for the years of severe neglect of Mr. Howard, and help us make sure he is released in a timely manner to his home, family, and his doctors.
