From Dragonfly: She says "Goodbye"

Every Monday (and some other days), there are people waking up early, grabbing one small bag of "things" and heading out early. They are the people being released. They go to R&D, are processed out, and walk out the front doors. Every week, I say "goodbye" to a couple people and most importantly - "good luck" or "stay strong." As hard as it is in here, depending on the amount of time one's been in prison, it's really hard on the outside. Imagine the person who is being released after 24 years. The entire world has changed! They have never seen an electric car, highways were not as wide, they haven't driven in all that time, banking is computerized - as is nearly every job. It would be tough.

Today, I said "goodbye" to two women who were not here quite so long. One woman has only been here 3 months. She was sentenced in the same courtroom, on the same day, for the same crime, as South. In fact, there are a bunch of "older" ladies here from that same county with the same "social security fraud" crimes - where SS overpaid them, and now they are in prison for not realizing that their checks were a bit fatter than they should be. Anyway, this woman only had 3 months incarcerated and then 3 months home confinement. She has been all smiles this weekend, knowing she is going home today. She was like a scared little cat here, and now, her husband and son are waiting outside the gates of this prison to pick her up. I'll never understand why she, South, and the others were given prison for what should have been a civil action for repayment of the SS office over payments. South still has 3 months to go.

The other woman I said goodbye to today is a younger woman, probably around my age, who was transferred to Carswell a while ago to undergo intensive cancer treatment for breast cancer. It's a bad case, and she went back into chemo/radiation after her first treatment didn't work. I was told she had beautiful hair, but I've only known her as bald. She was always a daily reminder to me of how lucky we were with Survivor, who underwent a mastectomy earlier this year, but didn't have to go through chemo or radiation. The woman leaving today fought her illness with incredible strength, barely making it when she felt sick all the way to the restroom from her room in our unit that was a bit too far away from the bathrooms. Now, she will undergo the rest of her treatment in freedom, seeing the best doctors, and, hopefully, living a cancer free life.

This woman also has quite the story. She was accused of a financial conspiracy that, she says, she did not do. In fact, since being incarcerated, the feds learned that she had nothing to do with it, and took away her restitution requirements. She says that she has been unlawfully detained. Additionally, her cancer treatments led her and her family to file a medical malpractice case. I don't know the full story of it, but I guess they should have been able to see the cancer much earlier, but never read her films, resulting in the cancer spreading and her treatment being much worse. I didn't know her then, but such stories are common around here. I'm sure some are just "inmate.com," but we see others for our own eyes.

I wish these two, strong, women the best of everything on the outside. Neither showed any inclination toward violence. They spent much of their time quietly in their room, wondering how on earth they found themselves incarcerated and a felon. They are kind, family-oriented, religious, and giving. They've brought smiles to many and a little hope to many more. I pray they are successful in the crazy world outside.

Tomorrow, a new bus, with 40+ more inmates, will arrive at Carswell. They will be from all over the country. Some will be transfers because of health issues, others will start their imprisonment here, because they are from nearby, or had already known health issues. Likely, most of them will be here, still, to say "goodbye" to me, whenever that day comes. It's a revolving door. I just hope the people I say, "goodbye" to, do not find themselves using that door again.