A retired co-worker of mine, Sam, started to serve the Cocama people in the Amazon Jungle of Peru, way out in the jungle, closest major town hours away by boat. No roads, etc. Over a year ago he had posted a photo of a little girl named Maria who had an arm issue and had to sit in her tiny school with her arm constantly raised to ease the pain. They didn't know what was wrong.

So I posted a question on TexAgs Varsity with a photo, entitled "Medical question about blood flow to an arm". I quickly got a probable diagnosis from two Aggie vascular surgeons who told me what it was and also said, because of the complex issue, the only place she could get help was a medical facility like in Houston. They also recommended a compression sleeve for the pain and that we should get measurements. An Aggie who owns a medical supply store offered to send the sleeve, and once we got measurements he sent the compression sleeve to me which we forwarded to Peru. We also discovered and got guidance from another poster whose girlfriend, an Aggie, worked within Baylor College of Medicine and had served in the only major Peruvian town within reach of this tiny village.

It has been a long road, including doctors visits in Peru to confirm to the Peruvian and US governments she could finally find help in the US, and a last minute delay that kept them waiting for days in a large city in Peru but she finally received a medical Visa and her and her mother are in Houston visiting with doctors.

A great story of people in Houston (and especially the Aggie network) willing to help this little girl find relief from a life of pain and suffering. Funny thing is Sam is a Longhorn but knows the love and support the Aggie network can provide! Your turn to help, AgProducer!!!

https://www.facebook.com/CocamaProject/

An early photo of Maria


Getting their Visa!


Finally visiting with a surgeon in Houston.

Jay, send me an e-mail with some contact info. I will definitely pass this along.

Alright, who brought those darn onions?

Great story and an agproducer thread that I can get behind!

Keep us posted on if/when it airs.

That's Dr. Ulises Baltazar. He lives in Richmond, TX and goes to my church. One of the nicest men you will ever meet.

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Who is paying for all of this? How were they able to get visas to get into the country?

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Trump, is that you?

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Who is paying for all of this? How were they able to get visas to get into the country?

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Private donations. Medical visa due to extreme case and no doctor/facility in Peru able to resolve it.

Posts like this put what it means to be an an aggie back into context for me. I lose sight of it every so often.

Thank you very much for sharing.

Update: I've passed it up the food chain to promotions. They have the contact info.

Maria!



In April of 2015 she was a photo in a newsletter from a remote jungle in the Amazon, then a post on a message board. I finally got to meet this sweet, sweet child in person! She's sitting there, constantly raising her arm to alleviate the pain, to tire and then have to lower it, to then raise it again once the pain hits again. Yet, she has this quick, sweet smile ready for anyone.

The Vascular Surgeon is lining up all the necessary resources to take care of this little girl.

Maria will go from looking at a lifetime of pain to relief.

So far, her favorite thing is ice in drinks and Louisiana hot sauce. She doesn't like sugary things, so barbecue sauce is out. And her favorite animal at the Zoo were the Meerkats.

Keep her in your prayers!

Definitely some chopped onions lying around here somewhere....

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Who is paying for all of this? How were they able to get visas to get into the country?

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Trump, is that you?

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It's a fair question.

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I'm paying for part of it. Why don't you join me?

UPDATE: No calls from any TV folks yet. Still hopeful, as it is a great story. But she'll get the issue repaired regardless.


From Sam...

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First I want to thank you again for the tremendous help you have been in getting Maria the help she needs. Now that you have met her, seen her medical condition and witnessed her sweet personality you can appreciate why Marcie and I have spent so much time trying to get her some help. She is a trooper and her attitude, even with the constant pain, speaks volumes about her. Just meeting her and her mother without being told you would never guess they live in a dirt floor hut in a little village in the middle of the Amazon Jungle. God chooses who He will to make Himself known to humanity and I continue to be amazed how He brought this little girl into all of our lives for His purposes. I am not exaggerating when I say I have seen her touch hundreds of people during this process already, and the list just keeps getting longer each day. So may God richly bless you for having the heart to help her, even long before you were able to meet her.

I received a call from the vascular surgeon this weekend and he was excited to deliver the good news that he had everything in place to get started. He said his head nurse will be calling me on Monday to give us the info needed to start the testing. It sounds like a full battery of tests will be run, including blood work and an MRI, and then after he has evaluated all results he will order the imaging tests where dye is injected (I believe it is called arterial and venous dopplers?) so he can do the"mapping"needed to develop a surgical plan. So please continue to keep Maria, her mother Cecith, Dr. Baltazar and the entire medical team in your prayers.

He also told me that he has his team lined up, which at least includes a plastic surgeon, an anesthesiologist, a radiologist and the Methodist Hospital of Sugar Land. I am not sure of the details but it sounded like he had acquired come charity help as well. Hopefully that will cover a large part of this and our fund raising efforts will fill in the gaps. It's all coming together.

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Thanks to all who are praying, supporting, etc.

UPDATE: ABC 13 has called. Looks like this will happen. Thanks agproducer!

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UPDATE: ABC 13 has called. Looks like this will happen. Thanks agproducer!

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Yep! I pitched it again this morning. Sometimes it just takes a little pushing to get it done. It is likely a story they will shoot and promote. When I find an air date, I'll let y'all know.