Don't think you can do it, huh?

Hello to all, I would like to share a story with you. My name is Holly and I just graduated in May and found out I passed my boards on 7-5-07, what a feeling to have the title R.N. behind my name. It took a long time to get there though. I grew up very wealthy as a little girl and had everything I could ever want for or need, my mother who is blind and disabled since before my birth had won a lawsuit, and I was born into money. However, when I was 14 years old my father who never worked a day in his life realized the money was gone and so was he. At this point I was living with my mom and my little sister who 11 years old then in a condemned house. Everyday I would listen for the ice cream truck to come down the street, for that was really my only nourishment, since my dad and the family car were gone. I remember answering the door to a woman who served me eviction papers. Soon after that one of our neighbors drove myself, my sister, and my mom to live in Arrow motel in Orlando, Fl. I remember not knowing what to think, I missed my home, my school, my friends, everything familiar to me was gone, I had only what I could fit into a garbage bag sitting on the motel floor. My mom used what little money we had left to pay for the room for a few weeks. All this time I was missing time in my ninth grade year of high school. Soon after this, my sister's guidance counselor came to visit us in the motel room and found an apartment for us in the coalition for the homeless in downtown orlando. I lived there for 18 months, and went to a high school where I was one of three white students in the entire school, I was so confused on what was happening in my life. I worked at McDonalds after school, and caught the city bus back and forth, I would walk home all alone in the dark after work at 16 years old in a shady part of town. I never thought twice about it, I was too stupid to be scared, all I know is that God had to have been watching over me for me to have come home safe and unharmed night after night, not knowing then he a destiny for me to become a nurse one day. While living in the homeless shelter, I had a counselor named Fran, I will NEVER EVER forget her, she helped me regain my sense of self. During this time I remained in the top five percent of my class, and stayed away from drugs and alcohol. Fran asked me one day if I wanted to go to college. I replied, "of course", but how? She managed to get a prepaid college loan for me paid in full for 120 credit hours!! What a blessing, my dreams had come true. I moved from the coalition to public housing with my family, shortly after my 16th birthday. When I lived in public housing, I worked as a cashier after school, and that is where I met my husband. I was engaged to be married my senior year of high school. Well, I graduated high school in may of 2000, and went straight to college. In december, over the break, I married my husband Tom, and shortly there after found out I was pregnant. I gave birth to my daughter, and found out I really liked being at home. My husband worked nights and I worked days because we had no family support besides eachother and couldn't afford day care. Well, for three years Tom kept getting on my case to go back to school, he said it was free, and not to waist a blessing like that. He reminded me what it would do for our family and how it would change generations to come. My mother and father, and six preceding siblings never even graduated high school, and I really did not want the poverty to continue. So, in the fall of 2003 I returned to school, here is the catch, the day before class starts, I found out I was pregnant with our 2nd child. I finished that semester in december as well, and gave birth to a beautiful son in March. By this point, I was thinking, okay, this college thing is not meant to be!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I decided to give it one more stab, and boy am I glad I did, in the summer of 2004, when my baby was 7 weeks old I returned for my prerequisites for the nursing program. After three long and arduous years, I finally graduated in 2007. Many of my co workers never thought I could balance being a full time student, worker, wife and mommy. But I believe if you want something bad enough, you will work hard at. I just started working as an R.N. on a general pedi floor, and love making sick children better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just goes to show you that you can change your future with HARD WORK, and of course with the divine intervention from God above. So for anyone who thinks the odds are against them, think again.

Holly, you are amazing! THANK YOU so much for sharing your story with the rest of us. How wonderful that you have a husband that knew your potential and encouraged you to be the best you can be! I'm sure you are an awesome nurse, having overcome such odds. I will think of you whenever I feel discouraged about juggling school and children. Hugs to you and I wish the very best for you and your family!