Hugs for Healing Hearts: Helping Families Cope with Loss

St. Clair Hospital’s Hugs for Healing Hearts support group held its fourth annual memorial walk on Saturday, one of the many things the group does to help persons and families cope with the loss of a pregnancy or infant.

After 15 years of marriage, South Hills residents Susan and Stephen Henault found themselves unexpectedly expecting. The couple had tried repeatedly to become pregnant over the years, without success. They didn’t think pregnancy was possible in their case. So when Susan discovered that she was pregnant, the couple was absolutely amazed. Feeling blessed, Susan and Stephen began referring to the impending bundle of joy as their “miracle baby.” But just as unexpectedly as their miracle baby was given to them, it was taken away. Stephen Isaac Henault was born stillborn on Aug. 6, 2010, with an official date of death the next day. Though unlikely in the first place, Susan’s pregnancy was unaccompanied by any complications. Her son’s heart was …

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Mom-E-Talk

A Story of Love and Loss

A South Hills couple share their experience with pregnancy loss.

It was April 17, 2007, one day before the due date of their unborn son, Ryan Oliver.  Lynn and Rick Knause of Scott Township remember the day like it was yesterday. Lynn visited the doctor five days before for a regular check-up. The doctor used a Doppler—a hand-held device used to listen to an unborn baby’s heartbeat—to listen to her baby boy’s heart, and everything was normal. Her check-up on April 17, however, was a different story. The doctor repeated the Doppler exam and what he said following the exam would be words she would remember for the rest of her life. He did not hear a heartbeat. He sent her to Magee-Women’s Hospital of UPMC for an ultrasound. She called Rick at work and asked that he meet her at the hospital, where their …

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Becky Brindle

11:05 am on Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Thank you so much Lynn and Rick for sharing your story with Heather and the rest of the Upper St. Clair community. I hope your experience can help others...I know it has and will.   more ›