Jump to content
Chapala.com Webboard

An appeal for Rosario - 6 yrs old, blind and paralyzed


Recommended Posts

ros_ng10.jpg

When you think you are having a bad day...

When Rosario was born six years ago, after a 19 hour complicated labor, the doctors had bad news for Maria and Jesus, Rosario's parents. Rosario was blind, unable to move and prone to continuous seizures. The doctors did not think she would survive more than a year.

Six years later, Rosario’s condition has improved slightly in that her seizures have been controlled by medication, but she is currently suffering from limb contractures due to lack of movement, and still needs 24 hour care. This is very difficult for her parents who have five other school aged children. Jesus feels lucky to have a job, but it pays very little, and money is scarce.

Among the many tasks they must do to care for Rosario, Maria takes her to Guadalajara three times a week for physical therapy. She has to take three buses and walk a considerable distance, all the while carrying a limp 6 year old, who cannot even support her head, and all the supplies needed for the day (diapers, pureed food, medical documents, etc.) For a 9 am appointment in Guadalajara, Maria and Rosario will set off at 6:30 am and get back to the village at about 5 pm.

Our plan is to get a solution for the transportation problem. We are going to get her splints and braces that have been recommended to try and help with the limb contractures. And we are going to help out with diapers which are a continual expense for the family.Her needs are quite specialized, so the equipment is expensive. But I am sure there are enough generous hearts out there that can help Rosario.

For more info and how you can help, visit http://prylett.wix.com/help4rosario

You can leave me a message or reply to the post. Thank you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ninos Incapacitados, a registered charity, helps kids like this in the Lake Chapala area. Have you talked to them? That would be a good way to gather contributions and supply other help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for making us aware. Through my husband's PayPal account we have donated.

sincerely

Sonia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Sonia for your donation. It is very much appreciated.

I have had a lot of very similar questions regarding Rosario's situation, so maybe I can answer them here. I spent about two months before the appeal trying to find a solution to Rosario's problem. I believe I have approached most of the local charitable groups in the area. I have been working with Bob Foster of World Access Project, who has been especially helpful. We have been in contact with DIF and other official social programs. It is not that Rosario is not receiving help from these groups. The family appreciate their good fortune with these programs. However, the assistance is fragmented in such a way that it is hard for Rosario's family to take advantage of them. There is a significant link missing in this chain which makes the help hard to obtain.

Rosario's family is enrolled with Ninos Incapacitados (NI) and they reimburse the cost of bus fare to Guadalajara and medications. She doesn't need many medications and the bus fare is only part of the transportation problem. Seguro Popular covers hospitalizations - for example she had to have an eye removed.
Rosario was awarded free specialized therapy and medical care through the national Telethon. However the Telethon award did not include transportation. NI would cover the bus fare, so it seems like there wouldn't be a problem. But...
Rosario has a very old wheelchair that doesn't collapse. The bus drivers in Guadalajara will not wait for her to disassemble a wheelchair, so the only option Rosario's mom (Maria) has right now is to carry Rosario. All the appointments are not in one place, so Maria has to take three buses in all and has to walk miles. This happens three times a week. She has to travel alone carrying a child who weighs 25lbs, her supplies for the day (pureed food for lunch, diapers, med records, etc.). This child is not heavy - for a six year old - but she is awkward to carry. Rosario cannot support her own head. So it is the logistics of the journey that is the problem.
We've tried other options. A DIF bus was scheduled twice, and both times they didn't show up. Tepehuah Community Centre has offered to share their bus when their ladies have to go to medical appts in Guadalajara, but it is not a taxi service and I'm not sure if they would be able to accommodate Maria's scheduling pattern across multiple locations.
So we are looking for a lightweight, collapsible umbrella type stroller with sufficient support for a child like Rosario. That would give Maria the means and the independence to care for Rosario. They do exist, but they are not cheap and are a little beyond my personal resources. Hence the appeal. She also needs braces to handle her limb contractures as a result of her paralysis. I've also got some upcoming dental work scheduled in a couple of weeks. So her needs are not completely met and it seemed like a situation where a little bit of help can make a big difference.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...