From Dragonfly: Bananas!!!

Wednesday is a very important day at Carswell. It is banana day. Inmates set their alarms for early - 5:30, 5:45, wake up, get dressed, and stand in bunches by the doors, waiting to be let out of their units. Once their unit is called for breakfast, the mad rush is on for getting in the breakfast line. Wednesday morning is when they give our bananas. Inmates are allowed to take their one fruit ration out of the chow hall and back to their unit. These bananas are coveted to make pudding, fruit salad, and many Latina dishes.

As someone on the Kosher diet, I need not run anywhere. Makes no difference to me. I get a banana twice during my week as part of my tray meal. Regardless, I did not go bananas this morning - as I had several "call outs" starting at 6:15 this morning. The first one was to the laboratory - where they took 26 vials of blood (no kidding!). The phlebotomist said that in her many years here, that was the second most vials of blood she's ever had to take. Most people have between 2-8 on a visit. Mine included all the tests that I've repeatedly been tested for associated with my autoimmune condition. I even had to say "yes" to another HIV test (even though I just had one months ago at home as a requirement). I am negative. No chance that has changed!

After nearly purging myself of all my blood, I had to go to the mail room. Sporty sent me some nice Penny Press puzzle magazines. I received them in the mail room because there was one too many. The maximum allowed items in a book/magazine package is 5, but this one had six. My discolored shoes showed my newness and they let me have the books this time. Next time, receiving too many books at one time would result in the entire package being sent back to the publisher (good thing to know!).

After the mail room, I waited 1 1/2 hours to be seen at records. There, I was able (finally) to have some official idea of my sentence computations - as they stand right now. I was absolutely right that my out date was July 4th, but they do not release on federal holidays. They also gave me one day for the day I did my fingerprints and photo at the U.S. Marshall the day of my arraignment. So, my good conduct release date is July 2, 2014. Prior to the good conduct release date, is the home eligibility date - this is the date you "may" be sent to a halfway house or to home confinement. My date is May 28, 2014. That's just after my parents' anniversaries (they were both remarried to their current spouses on May 26th), so perhaps that will be a nice anniversary present and a good way to celebrate memorial day weekend!

These dates are not absolute. Many people have been given earlier release to their halfway house/home confinement based on the overcrowding here. One woman in my room is serving 6 months of her sentence that was identical to me (1 year and 1 day - 10 months with good time). My health condition is a problem for that early release. I need to be able to show that I can get health insurance to cover my health care costs if released. Other issues as well. One day at a time, though. At least I have dates to hold onto. No reason to go bananas over the unknown!