Eric McDavid is Now on Hunger Strike - Your Help Needed!

From: sacprisonersupport@riseup.net

Date: November 10, 2007 1:39:27 AM EST

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@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

www.supporteric.org