Eric is Now on Hunger Strike - Your Help Needed!

Dear friends,

Eric called this evening with an update on his medical condition. At 8:00
this evening he was called out to talk to a sargeant who discussed his
medical situation with him. After this conversation, the sargeant sent
Eric back to medical to be seen by a doctor. The doctor (a different
doctor than the one he saw earlier in the day) took his vitals and
acknowledged that he had pericarditis in the spring. She asked him if this
felt like the same thing, and Eric said that it did. The doctor said she
would request that blood work, an ECG, and an x-ray be done - but more
than likely none of this will happen until after the holiday weekend (on
Tuesday). She also went over with him the medication he received in the
past and said she would put in a request that he begin receiving it again.
Eric received medication at around 9:30 this evening. When Eric tried to
discuss the cause of the pericarditis (more than likely, his diet) the
doctor was evasive and sent him back to his cell.

Because his diet is almost certainly a cause of the pericarditis, Eric has
decided to begin a hunger strike, once again, to gain access to vegan
food. The last "meal" he ate was at 8:30 am - a banana and two pieces of
bread. The jail has provided Eric with vegan food in the past and there
is absolutely no reason they cannot do it now. Please call the jail and
request that Eric be given vegan meals immediately.

The phone number to the Correctional Health Services Division is: (916)
875-9782.

You can also email them at: inmatepatientcare [at] saccounty.net.

You should also call the main jail line at: 916-874-6752 or 916-874-6905,
leave a message with them, and also request to speak with Captain Scott
Jones.

Their website says that they log all calls and emails and that you will
receive a response within 24 hours. If you get an answering machine, leave
a long detailed message, include your name and number if you would like to
receive a call back.

When you talk to them (or leave a message) make sure you mention the
following things:

1) Eric's x-reference number: x-2972521 (if they ask, he is housed at the
main jail)

2) Eric needs to be given vegan food immediately. His heart condition
will persist until the underlying causes are treated, and his nutrition is
integral to this.

3) Eric needs to receive an ECG, blood work and an x-ray ASAP. These
tests are imperative to determining other possible causes of the
pericarditis. Again, until they fully understand what is causing the
condition, they will only be treating symptoms. [When Eric visited the UC
Davis Medical Center in the spring, the hospital requested that the jail
do blood work to determine what might be causing the pericarditis. It is
uncertain as to whether or not this ever actually happened.]

Eric has not received vegan meals from the jail since one week before his
trial - the beginning of September. It has been difficult for him to
maintain his health since that time, with so little nutrition available.
Because of this, he begins his hunger strike with a body whose health is
already depleted. We cannot stress how urgent it is that the jail begin
feeding Eric food he can eat, and that they fully address his medical
situation.

Thank you all for your continued support.

For more information about pericarditis, go to:
http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/pericarditis/a/pericarditis.htm


http://www.supporteric.org