Delivering twins 7 weeks early in the fall of 2009 was a heart-wrenching experience for Norwalk resident Janine Testa and her husband, Mike. Their tiny son, Nicholas John, died shortly before delivery. Their daughter, Gianna Margaret, was born fragile but feisty at 4 pounds, 6 ounces. In the months that followed, the Testas were consumed with grief and overwhelmed with concerns and questions about caring for a premature infant. For support with both of those challenges, they turned to the Darien-based Tiny Miracles Foundation, a nonprofit group whose mission is to help families of infants born prematurely. Now a volunteer with the organization and a busy mom to 3-year-old Gianna and 22-month-old Makenna, Janine Testa has plans to give back to Tiny Miracles in a big way.
On Saturday, May 25, she and her husband, a musician, are sponsoring “Music for Angels,” a benefit concert in Norwalk’s Cranbury Park in memory of their son and in recognition of the work carried out by The Tiny Miracles Foundation throughout Fairfield County. The concert, which runs from 1 to 6 p.m., will feature performances by local bands Vertigo, PJ Pacifico, Billy Genuario, Third Sister, and The Third Rail. Mike is a member of The Third Rail, and he will also be performing with two of the other bands. Admission is $25 for adults and free for children under 12. Families are invited to pack a picnic and participate in a silent auction between performances. All proceeds from the event will go to The Tiny Miracles Foundation.
Our Story By Janine Testa
My husband, Mike, and I married in 2008 and discovered joyfully nearly a year later that we were pregnant with twins. After some debate, we decided that we would find out the sex of the babies. At my 20-week appointment we learned that we were having a boy and a girl. It was perfect, exactly what we had wanted. When I entered my fifth month of pregnancy, my blood pressure began to elevate and I was put on bed rest at home. A month later, when my blood pressure remained high, my doctors decided it would be in the best interest of the babies and myself to spend the remainder of the pregnancy in the hospital. I was admitted to Norwalk Hospital in October. My due date was December 19. We began to plan on the twins arriving early. At home, my husband and family prepared the nursery, selecting two of everything—one pink and one blue. In the hospital, I did preparations of another sort. I was given steroid injections to help develop the babies’ lungs. I was put on fetal monitors many times a day, had blood tests and urine tests daily, and was constantly monitored. The care that was given to me in the hospital was extraordinary; the nurses and staff were incredibly kind and compassionate as we waited for the arrival of our twins. I had frequent ultrasounds to monitor the growth of the babies. Their growth was consistent until my 32nd week, when I was told that Baby A, my son, had dropped from the 40th percentile to the 15th. The discovery was worrisome, and the doctors debated delivering the babies at that point. After much discussion, it was decided to let the babies grow for another week. Three days later, on November 2, 2009, we followed our new routine. Mike left the hospital to go to work, and I began eating breakfast. Soon, a nurse arrived to bring me to my ultrasound. As the test began, the technician immediately noted that baby A was breech—a new development. Then the ultrasound continued, and it became clear that something was very wrong: We could not find a heartbeart for Baby A, my son. A doctor came in and said that he was sorry, but there was nothing he could do; my son was gone. My daughter still had a heartbeat. It was decided that we would deliver the babies that afternoon. So at 3:51 p.m., my precious baby boy Nicholas John was delivered weighing 3lbs, 9 oz. One minute later, my tiny miracle Gianna Margaret was born weighing 4lbs, 6 oz. As soon as my daughter was born, she was whisked away to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where she was examined thoroughly and put on oxygen. I would not be able to see her until the next day. My son, Nicholas, was cleaned, dressed, and brought into me while I was in the recovery room. He was such a beautiful little boy. It was an amazing gift to be able to hold him in my arms—even for that short time. Some of our family members were able join us in the recovery room while Nicholas was baptized. The next morning, I was brought to the NICU, where I met my beautiful little girl. She had tubes and wires all over, but I knew in my heart she was going to be all right. She had an angel watching over her. During my stay in the hospital, a volunteer visited me from The Tiny Miracles Foundation. She told me that they were an organization that helped assist parents of premature infants. They provide families with support, resources, and materials parents need when they bring their babies home. Knowing that these resources were available to me was extremely comforting. Once I was home, other moms from the Tiny Miracles Foundation who had lost babies contacted me. It was enormously helpful to hear their stories and to confide in them about my feelings. The Tiny Miracles Foundation was—and still is—such a huge part of my grieving process that I decided to become a parent volunteer. I now visit parents who have children in the NICU and moms who are hospitalized on bedrest. My journey through pregnancy and delivery was very difficult, ending in both a tragedy and a miracle. Today, I find great joy in raising both Gianna and her younger sister, Makenna. But I will never forget the support that The Tiny Miracles Foundation gave to me and my family in our time of need. Please join us in helping them continue their important work for others in our community.
