When I reminisce about my life sometimes I can't believe that I have achieved so many things while dealing with so many obstacles in my life. I am a young woman in my last months of high school, with a learning disability, anxiety attacks and migraine headaches.

With my learning disability, it has been a hard and long journey for me. But I have made it.

When I was in elementary, I had a speech disorder, so of course I was going to have a terrible time with reading. How can I read, if I can't speak correctly? Then, I was tested by my speech teacher and she realized that I also had a learning disability. I thought I was really stupid, until she broke it down to me that a learning disability meant that sometimes I might need things to be explained to me more than once. After I understand the directions and the assignments, I can do the work like anyone else.

One day I went from making all F's in the first grade to making C's and D's and by the fourth grade all A's on my report card. Actually, I've been on the honor roll since the fourth grade and now I'm a senior in high school.

Education was a hard area, because of the learning disability and the anxiety attacks. That's the one thing I have had to deal with and for the rest of my life. I remember when I had to take the TAKS test - you know the one that decides whether students will receive a diploma from the state of Texas or not. Well, I had an anxiety attack on the math and reading TAKS days.

Many days I wanted to give up, but my parents and my sister would not let me, so I kept on going and I've made it. I have passed all parts of the TAKS Tests, and I will be marching across the stage and receiving a Texas diploma in May.

It ticks me off sometimes when people without any disabilities are lazy and careless toward their work and education. They could easily make the honor roll, but they are happy and content with sub-par achievements.

Then, there are people like me with disabilities or who are dealing with other obstacles in their lives and they work themselves to the bone to be on top.

All I'm saying is that if I could do it, anyone who suffers from a disability can too. I've gone from being labeled to now reading on a Post High School Level.

It's so good to say I have made it. I made it and you can too.