5/21 update

Once again we want to express our appreciation for all the prayers being lifted up for Carissa. I spent a little time last night re-reading many of the updates just to remind myself of how far she has progressed in 5 weeks. It is easy to get bogged down in some of the things that are not going as well as we would like and it is easy to lose the overall view of the opinions of the doctors that Carissa would be in extremely bad condition at birth with all the "if's" centered around her not likely having a lengthy future. She was indeed very sick at birth, but not nearly as bad a shape as was predicted.

Carissa's progress could be described as an upward spiral where sometimes there are some setbacks where those are usually followed with positive steps that are a little higher than the previous highs. I was staring at the her monitor this evening amazed at the slower breathing rate that seemed an almost impossible goal just a few days ago. Her oxygen saturation stayed mostly steady today on the minimal setting of oxygen support. She is still taking much of her milk by bottle although she is not nursing much these days. It seems her really alert times are not matching up well with her official feed times.

Carissa's blood count numbers were generally a little up today and Pamela was brave enough to ask the NICU team during their rounds if we could back off some of the proposed tests until Monday and just see how Carissa responds to not having additional blood drawn off. They are still going to draw 0.5 ml. each morning for the complete blood count just to keep a close eye on the count instead of letting symptons set off the alarm for forther action. We are good with that and want her to have a transfusion if needed...we just want to give her a chance to show she can keep producing some of what she needs if she isn't having to replace a lot of blood.

• Please express thanks to God for for Carissa's five weeks with us and for all the steps He has brought her through in that time.
• Please pray that Carissa will be able to produce the blood cells she needs and that she will properly regulate her blood components and that her heart rate will stay steady.
• Please pray that Carissa will continue to get stronger and be able to keep making progress toward being able to come home.
• Please continue to pray for Dante and his mom, Misty.
• Please pray for Carissa's story to point out the attributes of our Almighty God to some who might not regularly take the opportunity to recognize Him.

Let's end with another one of the verses Travis was greeted with when he returned home after his surgery on his brain cancer last year. I think we all fit into it.

I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you.
Isaiah 46:3-4

Please keep interceding for Carissa. I look forward to telling her the accounts of known and unknown friends taking her needs before the throne of our Heavenly Father who so graciously and wonderfully has provided for those same needs.

Terry