A Patient Speaks Out for Parkview Nurses – December 11, 2008

December 2008

"My name is Alma Abreo. I have cerebral palsy. I live about four blocks from Parkview. I came to the rally today with my daughter Selina to support the nurses in the NICU.

About four years ago, I sat down on my bed and saw that my feet were very swollen. My family took me to Parkview. They gave me all sorts of tests and didn't find anything wrong. Then they gave me an ultrasound. That's when I realized I had a little baby inside of me.

I was scared at first. I went to the NICU and had my baby. She was only two pounds, five ounces when she was born. The nurses helped me. They taught me how to feed and bathe her. They believed in me, especially Penny Brown. Penny was there when we had a meeting with my family and my social worker, and we decided I could live independently for the first time and take care of a little baby.

I came to the rally today because I want the nurses to be there for us. It's my way of saying, 'thank you.' They need a union contract because they work so hard. They take the time to care for people, for little babies. They care about their patients, and they deserve a union contract."

--As told to Laureen Lazarovici