Darling Esmilda Narvaez
I am twenty years old and was born on March 1, 1991. I have one younger brother, Jonathan, and we live with my mother, aunt, cousin and grandmother in Managua.
Most of my student years I have gone to the Raul School for both grade school and high school. For my first year of high school I went to another high school – Ruben Dario- but I didn't really like it and returned to my old high school. For my last two years I have been in Ruben Dario since they offer more classes and I like it better there now. I will be starting my last year of high school this year, 2012, and I continue with my dream to become a doctor. I am not going to let my physical problems stop me from realizing my dream.
Since I was a child I have had many obstacles. I was born with meningitis which produced a calcified granuloma in the frontal part of my brain. For many years I have had headaches and we never knew what caused them. When I was in 10th grade the pain became worse and I began to have times when I felt very hot inside, began to tremble and couldn't breathe. I would feel faint and a couple of times I lost consciousness. When I was 17 years old, a doctor took a head x-ray and we found out that I suffer from a granuloma in the middle of my brain.
This has affected my studies and often I have to take time off in order to rest and regain my strength. This bothers me very much since I want so much to move forward in my studies. But my mother and family have been very helpful and encouraging to me and I know that I will be able to keep studying and reach my goals. Even though my mother is a single mother and my brother has health problems too, she has always been there for us. I think the fact that I have had to deal with my own illness will make me a better doctor.
In the past I have always taken courses in addition to my regular classes. I have taken three computer courses and an accounting and book-keeping class. I would like to study English and am looking into where I might take classes.
I know that I need to continue with therapy for my physical problems and probably also deal with my emotional problems. My mother does what she can to get me the medical care that I need but it is expensive and her wages make it difficult sometimes to do what I need.
I am so grateful that there is a Scholarship Fund and that my sponsor is helping me to realize my dream of being a doctor. My family supports me in my goals but we could not do this without the financial support that I receive. Already I have received a computer from my sponsor. This was also one of the things I'd hoped for to help me in my studies. I am very committed to my goal and I am so very happy that my sponsor has faith in my ability to become a doctor.
Dreams to Reality Scholarship Fund
Darling
