Married to the Dream: How Two Nurse Anesthetists Turned Distance, Sacrifice and Ambition Into a Stronger Love Story

As the world recognizes World Anesthesia Day on October 16, Upscale Magazine celebrates Monica Lebron and Cordero Abdullah, two Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists whose remarkable journey is as much about love and perseverance as it is about caring for others.

For Monica Lebron and Cordero Abdullah, pursuing their dreams meant spending two and a half years apart. Their journey proves that love and ambition don't have to compete when two people are committed to building a future together.

Some love stories are measured in anniversaries, romantic getaways and shared memories. Others are measured in the sacrifices two people are willing to make so neither has to abandon a dream.

For Monica Lebron and Cordero Abdullah, love meant early-morning phone calls, late-night study sessions, airport reunions and two and a half years living in different states while pursuing careers as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).

Today, the married couple are traveling healthcare professionals enjoying the life they worked years to build. But behind their accomplishments is a story of commitment, financial uncertainty and a partnership that refused to make one person's success dependent on the other's sacrifice.

Their story began when Monica was 17 and Cordero was 19. What was supposed to be a casual meetup arranged through mutual friends became the beginning of something lasting.

“I remember seeing Monica and thinking she was gorgeous. She was also really funny,” Cordero recalls. “I thought, ‘I’m going to get with this girl one day.’”

A year and a half later, they began dating.

Monica always envisioned a nursing career. Cordero initially pursued football and earned a business degree before discovering his interest in healthcare. Inspired by Monica's nursing journey, he entered the profession and eventually decided to become a nurse anesthetist after witnessing a CRNA's skill and confidence during an intensive care rotation.

Their shared career ambition would soon present an unexpected challenge.

Originally, Monica planned to complete CRNA school first while Cordero supported her. Then they reconsidered.

“I told him, ‘Don’t put your life on hold for me. Apply and see where you get in,’” Monica explains.

Monica enrolled at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while Cordero attended Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago, Illinois.

For two and a half years, they maintained separate households while navigating demanding academic schedules, clinical rotations and financial responsibilities.

“Those were the loneliest two and a half years of my life,” Monica admits.

They learned to prioritize communication, sometimes scheduling conversations between 12-hour study sessions or calling during early-morning commutes. On particularly exhausting evenings, a simple goodnight was enough.

Every few months, they traveled to see one another. Sometimes those visits included dinner dates. Other times, simply studying in the same room felt special.

Their shared profession also became a source of connection. They discussed challenging cases, exchanged clinical knowledge and understood pressures that others might struggle to appreciate.

Their challenges extended beyond missing each other.

Neither was working during portions of their training, yet they still carried a mortgage on their Texas home. Cordero frequently relocated for clinical assignments, creating additional housing expenses.

Then their dog Mia suffered three herniated discs, leaving Cordero managing her recovery while completing clinical training. Surgery was estimated at approximately $12,000, an expense they could not afford.

Despite the financial and emotional pressures, neither questioned their commitment.

“We both approached the experience as a short-term sacrifice for a long-term goal,” Monica says.

For them, marriage meant supporting each other's growth, even when doing so required extraordinary patience.

Today, both are passionate about providing individualized anesthesia care and helping patients understand the professionals responsible for their safety.

For Cordero, being an African American CRNA brings particular meaning.

“As an African American CRNA, representation matters,” he explains.

He values the trust and connection he can establish with Black patients and advocates for greater diversity through his involvement with the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) and the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program.

His advocacy earned him the 2025 Ira P. Gunn Award for Professional Advocacy.

Monica is equally committed to patient education. She emphasizes that CRNAs support patients before, during and after procedures, including explaining anesthesia plans, addressing concerns and monitoring patient safety.

She also highlights AANA's Anesthesia Answers, a patient education resource offering accessible, evidence-based information to help individuals and families understand anesthesia care.

“Patients deserve to know who is providing their care,” Monica says.

Monica completed her program in December 2024, followed by Cordero in May 2025. Their reunion began modestly, including a period sleeping on a mattress on the floor after selling furniture to manage expenses.

Eventually, they returned to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where ordinary pleasures like baseball games, dinner dates and simply being together felt extraordinary.

Monica describes it as a second honeymoon.

Today, they practice as traveling CRNAs and share their experiences through their YouTube channel, A Couple Nurses. They are looking forward to traveling, exploring new cultures and creating memories without the weight of school or separation.

Their advice to couples facing demanding careers is simple: communicate intentionally, extend grace and surround yourselves with people who support your relationship.

For Monica and Cordero, those years apart were never the destination. They were an investment in the future they believed they could build together.

Their story is a reminder that lasting love isn't about choosing between marriage and ambition. Sometimes, it's about having someone who believes in your dreams enough to make room for them.

And after years of pursuing those dreams in different states, Monica and Cordero finally get to enjoy the rewards, side by side.

Photography by Rachael B. Photography and Rekless Productions LLC. Images courtesy of Monica Lebron.