From Spotlight on Health Oct./Nov. 2007

Noah Howard Hortsch was born at St. Cloud Hospital to Jami and Adam Hortsch of Sartell at 23 weeks gestational age on April 20, 2005. He weighed 1 pound, 4 1/2 ounces, and lived for eight hours. The heartwrenching decision to remove the ventilator and tubes was made by his parents when it became apparent that no matter what measures were taken, Noah would not survive. “I am so blessed to have been able to hold him and love him as he passed away peacefully in my arms,” Jami said.

Adam, Jami and Nilah Hortsch

“I would never trade those eight hours for anything. In that moment, all he felt was my warmth and my love. Even though he was such a heroic fighter, the little extra time that we might have gotten with him was not worth the pain and suffering that he was going through.”

Family and friends are encouraged by the staff to spend time alone with their deceased baby, to hold and name him or her, and take photos. A blanket and clothing is provided if desired for each
baby. A cast of the footprints or handprints are made to be kept as a cherished keepsake for the family.

After Noah died, the Hortschs received a Gabriel box donated by Trinity Lutheran Church in Sauk Rapids. A Gabriel box includes a stuffed toy lamb, a book on grief, a little scissors and bag for a lock of hair, a disposable camera and a card from Trinity Lutheran. Noah was bathed, diapered, dressed and wrapped in a blanket and given to his family to hold.

“We held him and held him and held him,” Jami said. “They dressed him in preemie pajamas, a hat and booties, and wrapped him in a blanket. I appreciated that. It somehow gave him his dignity. Loss is loss and grief is grief and it is very painful no matter how far along or how old your baby is. In telling the story of Noah, I can work it out and somehow find healing. If one person reads this story and gets something out of it, that helps me,” Jami said.

On April 2, 2006, Jami gave birth to Noah’s little sister, Nilah Hortsch. Born five weeks early, Nilah spent eight days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St. Cloud Hospital.

“Noah is as much my son as Nilah is my daughter,” Jami said. “It’s important that Noah is remembered. He is and always will be my firstborn, my baby boy and our forever angel.”

“When a pregnancy loss occurs, at any gestational age, it is the loss of a baby, the loss of dreams. It can be a lonely, emotional road for families,” said Terri McCaffrey, R.N., Resolve Through Sharing (RTS) nurse case manager at St. Cloud Hospital. “Grief and loss take time to resolve.”

Resolve Through Sharing
When babies less than 20 weeks gestational age are miscarried, the RTS Bereavement group assists the Family Birthing Center staff in helping families deal with the loss. If the family wishes, chaplains also assist with spiritual needs.

Since the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict founded the hospital in 1886, St. Cloud Hospital has
provided burials for miscarried babies. Through the RTS Bereavement program that started in 1988, St. Cloud Hospital hosts services for miscarried babies at Calvary Cemetery in May and
October. This provides parents and loved ones the opportunity to remember their babies through
prayer, song and mementoes.

Stillbirth Program
The CentraCare Stillbirth Program is an extension of the RTS bereavement group. The stillbirth program is for families who experience the loss of a baby of at least 20 weeks gestation through a full-term pregnancy. The focus of the program is to help families find answers for why their baby died as a stillbirth or newborn death. Both programs assist the parents and families through the grief process.

To learn more about other bereavement services at St. Cloud Hospital, call the Family Birthing Center at (320) 251-2700, ext. 53528, or Spiritual Care at (320) 251-2700, ext. 54621.

Bereavement Support Group
St. Cloud Hospital sponsors a bereavement support group for people struggling with grief resulting from miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death. This free, non-denominational support group meets from 7-8:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month in the Maple Room in St. Cloud Hospital’s Conference Center. For more information, call (320) 251-2700, ext. 53528.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
The Family Birthing Center at St. Cloud Hospital offers the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep program.
This non-profit organization assists families suffering an early infant loss. At a family’s request, a photographer affiliated with the program will come to the hospital and conduct a free portrait session. Parents are provided with an archival DVD or CD that can be used to print portraits of their
cherished baby. These services are available for infant loss as early as 20 weeks gestation.