Meet Michelle Parlato Cohen, the stroke-surviving nurse embracing resilience
I was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, with two incredible sisters and eventually a half-brother, three step-sisters, and a step-brother. I moved to NYC after nursing school and found my way out to Southern California in my 30s. I’ve been a nurse for nearly three decades, mainly in surgery.
In my younger years as a traveling RN, I volunteered on medical missions and honestly, those times were the BEST days of my nursing career. I’ve been on my own since age 18, paid for my education, navigated through the sadness of missing marriage and biological children during my baby-making years, survived a stroke at the age of 36, floundered through perimenopause in my 40s, and am currently CRUSHING menopause (thank you Lexapro for these past four months of sanity!).
I’ve participated in feline rescue for the past 13 years (rescue is weird, FYI. It sort of ruins your life, but you can’t stop) and have five cats of my own between the ages of 10 and 18. I became a Mrs. a little over a year ago and now have two rad-assed step-wees, ages 12.5 and 16. The man who made me a wife and (faux) mom is an exceptional human who lifts me up, accepts me for exactly who I am, thinks I am the bomb, and still loves me when I fail at kindness and/or display my bullshit.
I love travel, adventure, sci-fi, YA, pilates, Halloween, the Buffalo Bills, and trying new things. I get bored and restless if life becomes too stagnant — even if it’s rosy. Sad, but true. I chalk it up to a life of instability, a quick temper, a lack of patience, and an adventurous spirit! I am also the proverbial type who will give you the shirt off of their back.
I’m in the midst of living as a 30-year-old Michelle, smack in the middle of her 50-year-old life
I’m on the cusp of 52 and pretty much embracing what it means to be a woman at my age, in this day and age, as an authentic but ever-evolving human. If we get more than one life as a part of some sort of after-world evolutionary ladder, I would say that I was given this life to learn resilience and how to love your life — even when it feels like it gives you lemons. It’s a good thing that I love lemonade…especially mixed with vodka.
I’m learning SO much more as I grow older, and intend on doing so until I’m dead and disposed of in as environmentally sound a manner as possible. You know what I mean, right? Like, how to be a damned HELPER in this crazy world, in ways both big and small. I’m still learning how to better display my very passionate personality in positive ways when I am displeased (it’s freaking tough!). At this point in life, perhaps my greatest challenges are trying to figure out how to tolerate the remaining years of work I must endure, helping to raise children far later in life than I would have chosen as a biological parent, and keeping my cool regarding the existence of my husband’s ex-wife.
It’s almost as if I am living my life as a 30-year-old Michelle, smack in the middle of her 50-year-old life. Thankfully, I still have a lot of energy and a TON of love surrounding me; there are lots of lemonade recipes online, and absolutely no shortage of vodka in my neck of the woods. So, I am ALL GOOD. Plus, I love my beautiful wees and their father more than I can adequately type.
The best thing about my current age
Being a 50-something grown-assed woman for me is knowing what my faults are but having had the years to gather the emotional tools I need to make a happy and healthier life for myself, and for everyone I love. Self-love, self-acceptance, and self-care are something that I have finally embraced over the past few years — WITHOUT GUILT. I now understand that I don’t always have to say yes, which works out better for everyone involved. It also gave me the wisdom to choose a genuine, loving, and supportive partner, who has transformed me into a softer and kinder version of myself that I like a lot. Additionally, those I consider “my tribe” just continue to grow as I age. I mean, how FLIPPING AMAZING is that?
My Grown-Ass Lady heroes
Michelle Obama, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Rosa Parks, Dolly Parton, Jane Austen, Margaret Sanger, Frida Kahlo, Jane Goodall, Gloria Steinem.
What’s next: The hell if I know!
That’s kinda part of the ride, right? All I can say is that I look forward to it with excitement!
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