inmate perspective #9

Sep 18, 2023

morals and ethics

I got a good chuckle and a worthy lesson from on of my patients who is incarcerated on the now defunct Death Row. Since the death penalty doesn’t exist in this state now, this means he’s a lifer without the possibility of parole. He resides on a tier in the prison that is supposed to be for more “well-behaved” individuals (though I question this because I have one patient that resides there who I would not put on that list).

I’ve been working with him for several months now and he’s always been very respectful, expressing gratitude each time he leaves a session.

Today, he’s half way through his session and says, almost to the officer in the room and not directed at me, “you know I was watching an episode of Leave it to Beaver when you came to get me today.” Now I’m just going to say it because it caught me off guard. I just wasn’t expecting it from him.

“Yeah, I watch an episode at least every week. I grew up on that show. There’s some good messages about morals and ethics.” He went on to explain how in the episode he was watching, the Beaver’s lesson was that he needed to do his own work and not cheat by getting help from his parents. Last week was one about how what’s on the inside is what matters.

He goes on to revel in his childhood and how he used to watch all those old TV shows that taught some good lessons. “I was brought up a good kid and never did anything bad….until I had a crazy ____.” And that’s where he left it.

My patient, the officer and myself go on to have a conversation about how the morals and ethics are gone from current viewing selections on basic TV and streaming. We reminisce about other classic shows we used to watch in simpler times.

I don’t know why today, after months of working with him, that he decided to share this. I never cease to be surprised by what lies inside my incarcerated patients story. And reminds me that not all of those on “Death Row” are not evil people who were raised poorly (though some certainly have been very naughty), but that engaged in a moment that changed their lives forever. It makes me ponder that someone I know could experience a fit of rage so intense that they do something they would never have seen themselves doing when they were age 12, or 20 or 36, and their life is forever shifted and constrained.

Today, a lesson that morals and ethics do still matter, even to the unlikely souls whom you would least suspect.

*just to note, I’ll be leaving out the name of the institution that I work at. It’s a state prison for reference. Images are not from the prison as no devices are allowed in.

caring for the incarcerated

Prison PT

I’ve been a physical therapist (PT) for 19 years. Worked in all different settings: Acute care, inpatient rehab, home health, hospice care, outpatient clinic, telehealth, and I’ve run my own concierge practice. As a yoga therapist and PT I’ve been able to help those see a new perspective around their pain. Not to expect a pain-free life, but to relish a life that exists in the presence of pain—because we will all experience it at some point. But now, I’ve chosen a new path. I wanted to serve the underserved, and I wanted something unique. Working at a prison was not something I thought possible. But it is. There are a small world of PT’s doing just that. But if you search out there to find information on the experience, you won’t find much. I found several sites about nursing for the incarcerated, but the PT landscape was bleak. So, it’s with this intention that I began to share the stories here. A source to inform those who are curious and have questions and provide them a place to land. Please share if you know someone who might be interested.

Prison PT