February 9, 2018
Dear Travis,
Hi. I’ve been working with your mom on a couple of stories about you and your situation in solitary confinement. I don’t know that sharing these stories is going to change anything but I can hope. I’m sorry you’re not getting the attention and the help you need.
I live in Lincoln, California - about 33 miles northeast of Sacramento. I have a website with two blogs. One blog is where I posted your stories. The other blog is my book, Sooner Than Tomorrow, A Mother’s Diary which I post in sections every other week. When I finish posting the book in August, I’m going to publish it. Among other things, it’s my story and my son’s (Patrick) story of serious mental illness. I’ve been a mental health advocate for a long time.
When I’m not blogging, I have two granddaughters who live nearby and I enjoy spending time with them. I also have two grandsons in Utah and a grandson and granddaughter in San Diego. It helps to see the world through the eyes of young people — everything is fresh and new. They cheer me up.
Today, the weather is sunny and 71 degrees. It’s like spring and it’s only February. Don’t laugh. I have a cat stroller and I’m going to take my black cat, Jazzy, for a walk. She loves being outside and I can’t let her roam free so this is another way to get her out to see trees and flowers and birds and bunnies (we have lots of rabbits in the neighborhood). I always hope that no one sees me pushing the stroller — it probably appears eccentric. But hey! We walk dogs. Why not cats?
I hope you can focus and write more about your experiences in solitary. If you do, please send what you write to me. Maybe I can share your thoughts on my blog again.
I’m thinking about you and praying for you everyday, Travis. I’m praying that you will be strong and that things will get better. Your mom loves you so much and is fighting very hard for you. There are lots of us who care.
Hugs. Dede
You can write to Travis. He can receive cards and letters, no books. Sometimes we just need to hear, "I'm thinking of you." Thank you so much.
Since this post, Travis, due to health reasons, has been moved. His current mailing address is the following:
Mens Colony
Travis Christian
cdc#bb8099
Mental Health Crisis Bed
PO BOX 8103
Colony Dr.
San Luis Obispo, California
93409
See previous posts:
Letters from Solitary Confinement by Kathy Baker & Travis Christian, Feb 3, 2018
So Where Do I Go From Here? by Kathy Baker, Feb 6, 2018
Travis