#16 Tobias’s Story, Life in the NICU and Beads of Courage with Chainie Jackson

In this week’s episode, I chat to Chainie Jackson about her son, Tobias, who was born prematurely in October 2019 and lived for fifty-one days.

Talking with Chainie really opened my eyes to what life is like as a parent of a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). I’m so grateful she was able to share the story of the highs and lows of Tobias’s short life. It is a heartbreaking story but a beautiful one.

In the interview, we talk about:

• Her pregnancy with Tobias and when they realized something was wrong. (5:16)
• Life in the NICU during the 51 days of his life. (17:30)
• What the “Beads of Courage” are and how they gave Chainie hope. (27:16)
• The first five months of grief – why things get harder, not easier. (35:57)
• How her Christian faith helped her and brought her peace at the end of Tobias’s life. (44:50)
• Why she’s chosen to share Tobias’s story. (50:30)

You can connect with Chainie on Instagram @puzzlepiecesofmyhe.art and read more about Tobias on her blog: https://puzzlepiecesofmyhe.art.blog/.

You can see a photo of Tobias’s Beads of Courage here, and find out more about charity that runs the scheme on the Beads of Courage website.

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