LaShodna Midgette

Growing up being different was very challenging. I have a genetic disease called neurofibromatosis 1. Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a set of complex genetic disorders that affects almost every organ system, causing a predisposition for tumors to grow on nerves in the brain and throughout the body. The dermatologist diagnosised me with NF1 at infancy. My childhood was rough because of the constant teasing. I became depressed in my teenage years so I started wearing long sleeves shirts and pants. After graduating from high school a couple years went by. Around the age of twenty I became hot and frustrated! I began to wear short sleeves. Boy what a relief! But still I wasn’t satisfied with life. My mother always told me repeatedly growing up, “You have to do something don’t worry about what others think.” I went to Job Corporation. and graduated 6 months later at Lyndon B. Johnson with a trade in administrative assistant. Back at my mother house again I decided to attend the local college at Pamlico Community College (PCC). I obtained my CNA license and worked a little over a year. Later I meet my fiancé had a baby girl and 9 months later discovered I was pregnant again with another baby girl. I thought to myself I have to do something. I returned to PCC and graduated with a 3.2 GPA receiving an Associate of Arts Degree. One year ago I transferred to North Carolina Central University (NCCU) with the pursuit of being accepted into the nursing program. The first semester I took online classes and overall did well. The following semester I decided to stay with a family member so I could continue my education. I left my two daughters in the care of their father and my mother. I traveled from Durham to my hometown Pamlico County every weekend. It was a struggle, and I failed one of my required classes from the lack of discipline and time management. I am now retaking the class I failed. I was instructed by my advisor that I must receive an “A” in all my course, so that I will be accepted into the nursing program. My daughters are my motivation as well as all of my family and friends that support me. I have now learned you have to have discipline and determination to complete any task in this world. I live by this famous quote:
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” –Thomas A. Edison