My name is Rosy Haskins Perez and I want to share the story of my beautiful, amazing daughter Mandy.  She is a happy 34 year old; a young lady who continues to bless everyone that knows her.  The IHSS program here in California has made it possible for me to be her full time care giver and because of that, we have been able to keep Mandy at home with us where she continues to improve.

At the young age of 17, Mandy was in a car accident and she suffered a broken collar bone, a punctured lung and most devastating of all, a traumatic brain injury, which put her in a coma for 3 months.  We were told by all of the neurologists that if she lived, she would be a vegetable.. We were told to put her in a nursing home and we were given no hope of recovery.

Because of IHSS, I have been able to devote all of my time to care for Mandy. She is a handful, and requires 24hr supervision but she has been able to achieve miraculous improvement over all of these years.  She can now even take steps with a quad cane, helps to dress herself, and she talks, and talks and talks!!! (another miracle!)  I have been able to also concentrate on finding awesome programs for her to continue with physical therapy, cognitive therapy, etc. etc. She has come a long way, and has a long way to go but we never quit!  With God, all things are possible and I thank God every day for IHSS!

I want to remind everyone that has the future of the IHSS program in their hands, that in a blink of an eye, your lives can change forever like our did and you could be facing the harsh reality of having one of your loved ones permanently disabled.

Over many years, I have met so many families that are facing having to make decisions of what to do with their husbands, wives, children, etc. etc. and I have seen what IHSS means to them when they can have their loved ones at home with them. It has been a long haul taking care of Mandy in order for her to be where she is at now.  In the earlier years of her injury, Mandy even had to learn how to hold her head up, how to swallow, how to sit up, etc. etc. the list is endless.  I just can’t imagine where Mandy would be now if I had not been able to be her full time care giver thanks to IHSS.

Please do the right thing and help keep the IHSS program intact. I know that God looks down at all of the beautiful people who make this program possible and says “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you IHSS for allowing us to have our beautiful angel girl with us!

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