It’s flu season here at Washington State Penitentiary, just as it is everywhere else. This year has been exceptionally bad. Colds, viruses and the flu have affected prisoners and prison staff frequently.
On Feb. 21, the state prison system issued a notice that it had identified cases of influenza in multiple facilities across the state. “Influenza can be identified by rapid testing with a quick nose swab. Results can be obtained on the spot and are very reliable. Treatment is safe and available,” it said.
But after my two decades of incarceration, I’ve noticed that many residents (including myself) are skeptical of what “treatment” might be available. In my experience, it has been a waste of time and money to seek medical attention for flu-like symptoms in prison. The one time I saw a medical provider, they told me they didn’t treat colds. “You can purchase medicine from the commissary,” they said, before charging me a $4 copay for the visit.
The closest items to cold or flu medicine available at our commissary are cough drops and Vicks VapoRub. A 50-count of the former sells for $3.69 and 4 ounces of the latter runs $1.14. That’s a lot of money behind bars in Washington state, where the wage floor for prison jobs is $1 per hour.
That’s why most of us seek home remedies.
The most common remedy is what we call a “hot drink.” You mix any flavored ramen soup packet with Sriracha sauce and crushed red peppers, then add hot water. It soothes a sore throat and will knock the snot out of you.
A remedy I picked up from my mother is the saltwater rinse. Take an empty bottle of nasal spray or any device that will squirt water and fill it with a teaspoon of salt and water. Shake it well and squirt it up each nostril. One of the guy’s here substitutes salt for mint oil, believing it has medicinal properties.
There is also the Vicks VapoRub in a plastic bag with boiling water. You stick your face in the bag and breathe through your nose if you can. You have to be careful not to suck all the air out of the bag because you’ll get a snout full of boiling water with VapoRub.
Another popular remedy is drinking a concoction of boiled orange peels and tea bags. I add a little honey for better flavoring.
Last week my friend Bobby was in the shower hacking and coughing. I raced to my cell and whipped him up a hot drink and handed it to him as he passed my cell on his way up to his cell. He made it to the stairs when another guy, who goes by Crazy, popped out with his VapoRub treatment. As Bobby made it to the top of the stairs, Ramon handed him orange-peel tea.
Our home remedies only provide temporary relief. But caring and sharing with each other provides long-lasting comfort without a $4 copay.
