Between January and May 2003, all my repeated requests to treat my steadily falling red blood cell levels were refused. All my pleas to be sent to an outside specialist were refused. The required medical diet was repeatedly refused, along with any type of effective medical treatments or required diagnostic testing for my continued serious intestinal infection.

On May 4, 2003, nurses refused to deliver my morning dose of Rebetol and Nurse Viscum later refused to let me go to HCU to receive my scheduled dose. She falsified Medication Log by saying I refused my medications. On May 5, 2003, Nurse Viscum again "forgot" to reorder my PEG Interferon from previous week. My prescribed dosage of 60 mcg. was not available. Dr. Smith, over phone, had Nurse Viscum order me to take another prisoner's vial of 80 mcg. of PEG-Interferon under continued threat to stop my medical treatments. This overdosed me again. My treatments were working at eradicating virus. I gritted my teeth and took deliberate overdose.

On May 12, 2003, my prescribed dosage of 60 mcg. of PEG Interferon still had not been reordered by ADDUS Healthcare staff and I was ordered to take another prisoner's vial containing 120 mcg.. While I tried to only take half, it was still too much and overdosed me for third time.

On May 25, 2003, nurses (Heather & Sheri) again refused to deliver my morning dose of Rebetol. They refused to let me go to HCU later to get it and lied by telling Correctional Staff I had refused my medications. This again interfered with my medication schedule. No Medical Refusal Form exists with my signature. I filed a grievance over this too.

Superintendent Nancy Pounovich called me into her office on May 29, 2003 and asked me to drop my grievance over refusal to deliver my meds. I refused to drop my grievance. She retaliated next day on May 30, 2003 by firing me from my cellhouse help job for no reason. She had me locked up in my cell 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I was given no opportunity to protest this unjust firing, or given a misconduct report.

Between May and June 29, 2003, all needed medical treatments to reverse my rapidly falling blood levels were refused, and all of my requests to be sent to an outside specialist were refused. Then we got a new Medical Director. Dr. P. Ghosh, in response to my grievances and letters, agreed to send me to see an outside specialist, since he said that only a specialist could prescribe medications Procrit and Neuprogen. I was seen by Dr. Wiley at U.I.C. Liver/Hematology Clinic on June 30, 2003. The ADDUS Healthcare Staff deliberately failed to send my lab work with me so specialist could make a medical recommendation. Fortunately, she was able to get results by telephone, after being refused several times by Medical Records Supervisor, Karen Reed.

Treatment with medication Procrit was too late, since medication takes from 4 8 weeks to stimulate bone marrow into producing more red blood cells. My current blood levels were so dangerously low I did not have 4 8 weeks to wait for medication to work. The only option left was for her to recommend temporary suspension of my medications for 3 6 weeks to allow my blood levels time to rise back into safe levels. Then restart my PEG Interferon/Rebetol HCV treatments. (Continued as Part 3)

She resolved to do something about it out of deep kindness of her heart, even though she had no experience in fighting this type of state sanctioned medical mistreatment of a prisoner. Mrs. Julie Ehlers launched a letter and Internet campaign, creating a Website for me to call attention to my plight and to seek help from other concerned people to force IDOC to provide me with proper medical treatment for this deadly liver disease. See http://www.justice4jimmykinslow.homestead.com/index.html.

Another group heard her plea for assistance, called Surviving The System, picked up my story and also printed it on their Website at: http://www.survivingthesystem.com/kinslow jimmy.htm. Another lovely lady responded. C.J.Codega from group Reaching Beyond The Walls. Along with some others; (LesleY581Aaol.com; Jeff Dicks Medical Coalition). Their aim was to pressure IDOC and let them know they would NOT be allowed to deny medical treatment to me outside of public scrutiny.

Bowing to pressure from these people, IDOC relented and transferred me back to Stateville C.C. on December 13, 2001, where I could be sent for an evaluation by a proper specialist at University of Illinois - Chicago, Liver/ Hematology Clinic.

The IDOC and another prison HMO group, ADDUS Healthcare Inc., had by this time hired a new, more compliant and obedient Medical Director at Stateville C.C.. Dr. Kevin Smith only grudgingly agreed to arrange my outside medical evaluation, delaying three months until March 14, 2002. I was seen by Dr. Wiley, a liver disease specialist. She recommended immediate re treatment with newly approved PEG Interferon/Rebetol (Ribivarin) and further asked that a pretreatment ultrasound and liver biopsy be performed. Also a CT scan of my entire abdominal area, prior to beginning new treatments.

Dr. Kevin Smith delayed seeing me in connection with U.I.C. visit and medical recommendations until April 24, 2002. At this time he denied pre treatment ultrasound, liver biopsy and CT Scan of my abdomen (because of persistent stomach/intestinal infection I was suffering from, untreated to that point). He grudgingly approved recommended re treatment with PEG Interferon/REBETOL. Dr. Smith made it clear he was personally offended by outside pressure I had brought to bear, thanks to my outside help. He said that I would be put on a waiting list to receive medications when they could get them - that I did not deserve special treatment. Special life threatening treatment was in fact what I was about to endure for next year and beyond.

They did not have medications until November. HCV medical treatments with I:IEG Interferon/Rebetol started on November 4, 2002. At start of treatments, my HCV viral load levels were over 7,000,000 I U/ml, and Liver Function (AST/ALT) Levels were abnormal, indicating ongoing destruction of liver cells.

The treatments began really great, with a surprisingly mild level of side effects from chemotherapy (cancer fighting) medication, PEG Interferon. Within eight weeks my liver function levels had stabilized back into normal. My HCV viral load levels had fallen to 53,800 IU/ml. By April 23, 2003, levels had fallen to an amazing 154 IU/ml. I was close to possibly being cured from this terrible and insidious liver/blood disease, having this treacherous virus eliminated from my blood and internal organs.

Then a horrific series of events began to unfold in a malicious and deliberate manner, resulting in obvious sabotage of amazingly successful HCV treatments. This required early termination of treatments before virus was completely eliminated, allowing HCV time to mutate and return in a more virulent, aggressive, destructive form.

This series of events began November 25, 2002, when I requested Nurse Susie Viscum, RN overseeing my weekly injections of PEG Interferon, call Medical Director, Dr. Smith. He was supposed to be personally supervising my treatments so I could report severe side effects and/or drug interactions I was having after taking antihistamine medication Periactin. He had prescribed this for me in response to severe itching I was experiencing as a side effect of HCV medications. (Continued as Part 2.)

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