There is a man with Liontiasis in Balacan province in The Philippines, who is asking the world via Steemit, everyday, for help.
I sent @cryptopie a parcel.
In the hopes that it will help verify his identity.
There has been controversy over the identity of the user known as @cryptopie.
Perhaps because he appeared asking for help in the most unusual of situations.
There has also been speculation about his condition.
As I attempted to assist him, we embarked on the difficult task of acquiring legible documents that could be used to source specialist medical treatment, and to property identity who he is.
I have revealed parts of my life over more than a year. I would like to believe that I have established myself as a believable steemian.
When my husband revealed I am sick and papa-pepper offered help, we sent papa-pepper verification of my treatment, illness, medical specialists expenses.
I wanted to believe that if @cryptopie IS who he says he is, that we could help him.
So before sending the obscure bundle of gifts, I sent verification of the items featured in past post to Steemit's trusty Papa Bear papa-pepper.
I think we all agree Papa is the real deal.
I finally sent a little parcel to the peppers too last week. It will be post marked from Australia and should arrive this week.
Just a small token of my thanks.
To risk a little by believing and continuing to believe is the only way I know how to live.
Steemit risked believing in me. At my lowest time I found sanctuary here.
I still do
The steemit community support I received when my husband revealed I am sick was a lifeline during difficult times.
I am still struggling with ill health, but to know that this platform has provided a place for me to BE, is a blessing.
I am so grateful to this platform.
Sometimes people have asked me, Why do you trust that your money will go where you think it will?
Steemit trusted me, and I am not only grateful for the support, but I am so amazed by the trust.
We have little to lose and so much to gain by keeping a belief in people.
I have been through a time when my most treasured memories were proven to be built on wickedness.
When you find goodness again through such misadventures it is something to be treasured.
I found that belief when I met Kevin and Mark.
They took a great risk trusting me. I was a relative of a person with whom they had zero trust. Who had hurt them terribly.
I ran marathons for them. I gave them my heart and soul in the hopes of healing theirs, and they ended up healing mine.
In this photo I am wearing the shirt and medal from the final marathon that week. I referenced it in a post over two months ago.
This photo features in one of my earliest posts, over a year ago.
I graffitied on the shirt and even sewed on the little felt girl that you see in my profile pic.
https://steemit.com/art/@girlbeforemirror/drawing-with-felt-and-thread
This is one of the photos I sent to papa-pepper.
I sent Arnold a bundle of undisclosed items. Included with this marathon finishers shirt and medal were items that have featured in my posts over the past months.
He received the parcel at last.
We had given up hope that it would arrive.
I am pleased to share these with you today.
Items from my thrift shopping post many months ago.
@cryptopie's photo
And a broken bottle of Vegemite. Sorry dude, that's terrible.
A card I made and posted on steemit 3 months ago
https://steemit.com/art/@girlbeforemirror/a-stitch-in-time
Inside, a tiny drawing from a post inspired by the #tinyartchallenge.
https://steemit.com/art/@girlbeforemirror/floral-chakra-4cm-squared
It features my horrible arthritic, hypermobile fingered scrawl (Which has graced a lazy self indulgent poetry post from time to time too.)
I am mistaken for being naive or idealistic sometimes.
I'm not.
My eyes are wide open. I see when things look questionable, and I also can't close them to things that are not OK.
@surpassinggoogle is often quoted-
Everyone has something to offer.
I am almost completely housebound.
I have my good days, but I pay for them after.
Maybe this in itself presents an opportunity. To be able to spend some time, online, finding purpose within my own frustration.
I spent my days emailing.
Foundations
Charities
Hospitals
Doctors
philanthropic types
Everytime I asked @cryptopie to provide me with documents, he did.
It has been frustrating for both of us.
Sometimes it seemed like we weren't on the same page.
But when I asked for photos of doctors or verification of places, he would borrow a camera and risk offending a specialist doctor to verify the visit.
The address he put up with a Google Map to his home is where I sent the parcel.
When he posted about receiving it we again had some issues to work through.
As I said, we are sometimes not on the same page.
I messaged him
FRUSTRATED
Why didn't you do a verification photo with you in it man?
I messaged him with a WT? Style message and he sent me this photo pretty quickly.
Along with a derogatory comment about his appearance and permission to share the photo.
My parcel did reach the man with Liontiasis in The Philippines.
In his posts he has listed his doctors, facilities, treatment history, date of birth, home address, health progress, updated treatment plan etc.
He desperately waits for someone who might know someone.
I have tried to be that someone.
But I am limited. By my own health and by my resources.
Steemit is a new frontier. It offers an opportunity for people like Arnold to hope that they can change their circumstances.
It is a new frontier because it relies on trust and risk.
But aren't some things worth the risk?
I believe in steemit.
I believe that at the root of the word humane is human.
People.
People are capable of doing SOMETHING.
What we choose to do is only limited by the amount we are willing to risk and trust.
There are some very talented people here.
If you have the time and the ability, the information @cryptopie has offered, daily, for months, could be collated.
Proven true, we have the collective that is capable of doing something to help.
Steemit offers equity in a world that is sustained by inequity.
Liontiasis is itself the face of inequity.
In a country where basic health is a right not a privilege, the 15yr degeneration of his health that resulted in his disfigurement would not have occurred.
Google it!
If the calcium levels and endocrine imbalance had been identified in a simple blood test, and appropriately treated, he would not be disfigured, but managing the burden of a chronic illness like so many of us.
Seldom do I consider that my daily existence with what is now refereed to as a chronic illness, a privilege.
But compared to many fellow steemians on this equal platform. I am very lucky to have access to medicine and doctors.
He and I live in very different worlds. The things I have available to me, as hard as it has been, is not a reality in The Philippines right now.
Clearly the growing group of talented Filipino steemians is evidence that the country has great promise. But right now, they need our help to help him.
Perhaps I haven't proved without a doubt that the person who is making every post is the very same person.
That is true for all of us
He has a mother who works every day and who would give her last breath for him.
This is my mother yesterday at my appointment.
This is Arnold's mother
His words speak for us both.
She is always there
With him, waiting at every appointment.
As he tries to get comfortable on any chair available.
This was me yesterday. My mother was sitting opposite me. She drove 60kms to be there.
We are not different
We are humans.
@papa-pepper has verification photos that can be compared to the first photograph in this post and to the images in @cryptopie's post.
I am glad that you went through the effort to verify that @cryptopie is indeed exactly who he says he is. The items in the photos match the ones that you sent me on September 11, 2017 and I believe the items to be genuine, since only you and I knew what you were sending.
While I am much like you and would rather be able to simply trust others and believe them, we know that far too often people choose to deceive others for financial gain.
Now, because of your successful verification of the identity of @cryptopie any steemian who would choose to help out can now be confident that they are not being scammed or taken advantage of.
Upvoted FULL POWER and I'll resteem this too to help this post and update gain visibility.
Thank you! I have been upvoting his posts when I see them, my gut just told me he was for real. My vote is worth a flippin' penny. I am SO glad you are championing his cause!
Thank you for helping me with this post verification @papa-pepper. I wish to reiterate what I wrote to you in steemchat.
People admire you because you are not a faceless fat cat that steems without a conscience. I started here not long after you. You have worked very hard and created the pepper brand. All the while maintaining your core beliefs and values, and while succeeding you have not only referenced those beliefs but have demonstrated them, lived by them.
Balancing compassion and transparency with you personal boundaries is not easily achieved.
That integrity is valuable and admirable.
Thanks again Papa P for continuing to consistently do your thing 😊
I intend to help in any way i can, please how can I be of help? I dread his look on wheelchair.
May God heal him, but he might have to do it through us!
I am also wishing that your health would improve soon Marg
I know that you are smart enough to handle your medical situation as well, we just need to get informed on all things so we can well deal with them.
I would consider this a lifetime of debt from your wholehearted kindness to an uninteresting individual like me.
Nothing I could say but what a Christian would utter for the very best of you is God Bless you and your family. May the Lord God Keep you and his face shine upon you.
Thanks for being so open and honest in your posts, and for verifying yourself for us. May you be blessed as you continue in this life!
Hi @papa-pepper
I want also to express my gratitude about your assistance for my cause.
Thank you very much from my heart.
May God bless you.
you are doing a Wonderfull work. god bless you!
Marg, thanks for all your efforts to help Arnold. Been quite busy with promotion efforts, sad events within the community, and my day job so haven't really visited him again. Will set aside time to see him before Christmas, and chat all about this verification effort. Hope you are keeping well yourself.
Love from all of #SteemPH - Steemit Philippines,
@steemitph
Thanks for being such an integral part of @cryptopie's quest to get treatment. You and @dandelion visiting was a the integral moment. You took a real risk visiting a stranger, who is now your good friend.
U remember the post you wrote about the things that you are grateful for since steemit. Meeting @cryptopie was listed.
The Filipino community are amazing in the way you support each other.
I am OK. Thank you for caring about how I am doing.
Have a beautiful Christmas with your family.
X
It has been a while hasn't it? @girlbeforemirror I am so glad it did finally arrive. Hopefully this will inspire others to help Arnold aka @cryptopie
Stay well @girlbeforemirror and thanks for your efforts helping Arnold.
Yes it has been a while. Interesting how it arrived shortly after I lodged an inquiry via Australia post. It was tracked to Sydney airport then just stopped.
It turned out OK in the end though.
Thank you @girlbeforemirror for your continued help for @cryptopie.you are an amazing person.
You have done a lot for many people through your charity networking.
I sent a package and some emails that frustratingly didn't amount to much.
I hope I can now pass the task in to some more able people.
You have a big heart @girlbeforemirror
God bless you and thank you for your continues support to @cryptopie
Stay strong. xoxo hugsss
I had an echo of my heart last week. The doctors were worried that it might be enlarged because of my connective tissue problem. Turns out it is regular sized. 😊
Thanks for the positivity you shine sunny girl. It is always a pleasure to catch some of your rays. ☀🌻💕
Ohh what a good news. I'm so happy to hear that.
I know you're a tough woman and a fighter.
With God's mercy, all things are possible.
God bless your beautiful, healthy heart.
Sending you some sunny hugss xoxo
This is a great effort you have put to proving this individual is indeed genuine with the steemit community. I hope more help begins to flow to him both financially and in kind. Wish you fast recovery @cryptopie and great job @girlbeforemirror
Thank you for your encouragement and support
@girlbeforemirror your mission to help @cryptopie is so inspiring. I've been following g his daily diary everyday. I may not have the money that he needs but I'd like to make him feel that he is not alone in this. My friend is undergoing dialysis and I can relate to @crypotopie a lot. I do hope that you get well soon too. ,
Sharing his story and supporting him is a gift in itself.
Thank you.
I've been following @cryptopie story for the last few months.
If there was some way to rally some big votes on a single post, that would help him out tremendously. We need some whales to come together and upvote on a post dedicated to his medical expenses. It might just be a few hundred dollars, but I'm sure that could help.
You both are wonderful beings and deserve more in life. May God bless you more than most people in this world including me. I pray both for your health. You've touched my heart with this post I feel like breaking down.
Thank you for your kindhearted message. You made me reread it and have a little cry too.