Missy Perrott

When I was seven, my parents had to leave me in an institution called Great Oaks Center because there weren't any other resources to help families like mine with a child with special needs.  My first memory of being there, is crying in a crib because I had to go to the bathroom and thinking how ugly the blue cement walls were.  I would get very upset when I had accidents because my bladder  was the only thing I had control over. 

Being nonverbal was the worst  thing because most people wouldn't take time to see if I could understand.  At that time my only communication was shaking my head yes and no.  Finally someone realized I could understand  what people were saying, and some of the regular staff would even go through the alphabet and try to figure out what I was saying. 

I lived off  supplement drinks, and some of the aides would bring me food sometimes.  One day at lunch we had hot dogs and beans.   Even an institution can get hotdogs and beans right sometimes.   Anyway, I was very hungry and that was one of my favorite meals.  I didn't care for the person who was feeding me because she was one of the ones who never tried to figure out what I was trying to say.   She cut off a bite of hot dog that was way too big for me and persisted in trying to get me to eat it.  I thought rather than risk choking, I would just go hungry.   I don't know how many times I shook my head no, but she wouldn't give up so I finally took the bite.  I choked like I expected and had to be rushed to the hospital to get it out.  I don't remember if anything happened to her. 

I attended public school and I would get embarrassed when the bus came and dropped me off, because I didn't want anyone to know where I lived.  Snow days were no fun because the regular staff didn't come in most of the time.  One snowy morning I was left in bed because none of the regular staff came in till later.  One of the housekeepers brought a nonverbal resident into my bathroom to sexually abuse her.  I had my own bedroom and bathroom at the time and knew something was wrong for him to bring her in there.  He was fired after I picked him out of a line up.  It was a little scary because he could see me when I chose him, but the fear of being his next victim was far worse. 

I finally moved out of Great Oaks in 1985.  Since then I lived in three different group homes, and then moved into an apartment with a friend who took care of me.  We got a big break financially when we moved into a Section-8 building called Inwood House.   In 1995, I got an even bigger break!  I met Derrick.  He was my boyfriend, then became my care attendant.  He is really great.  We decided to get married in a religious ceremony in March 2003.  It was one of the best days of my life.  Now I’m the happiest that I have ever been because I have control over my life finally!  I applied for and got a Housing Choice voucher last year and was able to move into a very nice apartment in Germantown.  It’s a little far from where I work, but very nice.  I believe other people who still live in institutions can get out and live happy lives like me.  And I hope to prove it very soon!