5/23 update

I was once again perusing, if that is indeed a word and if it indeed is spelled correctly, through some old updates to see how long it had been since Carissa had received platelets or red blood cells. She did get an rbc transfusion today and actually received blood directly from our friend David Walton who is Director of Purchasing at Trendmaker Homes. I feel like I should have started with "Today's update sponsored by David Walton." Since he supplied today's rbc's and he and his wonderful wife Marie were the first non-family members to visit just hours after Carissa was born (and since his grown kids have not made him a Granddad yet) we may have to make him some sort of honorary something or other. Dave has O- blood which makes him a universal donor. As head of purchasing at Trendmaker and a very efficient negotiator, Dave has never been considered a universal donor by companies that work for us. Martha Philipp, our Trendmaker Sales Manager, and I also donated blood but Carissa's last transfusion was also O- so they thought it best to stick with Dave's blood.

Anyway, it had been 3 weeks and 6 days since Carissa last received rbc's and that followed her 2 week 5 day gap between her platelet transfusions. Carissa's reticulocyte (newly formed rbc's) count had been increasing some but not enough to keep her from needing the rbc transfusion. It is easy to be a little discouraged about Carissa needing the transfusions but then I think back about the predicition that she would need them very often if she lived long enough to need them at all, I see in the updates prayer requests that Carissa be able to maintain her temperature without a warmer or incubator, I read excitement in the update as she moved all the way from 1.5 ml to 9 ml and now she is at 56 ml of milk at a feeding and taking many feedings orally...her progress is nothing short of amazing and a testament to your and our prayers and a merciful Almighty God who has allowed our little Carissa to be a living miracle every day.

Today was not without stress because it took 5 different people trying and multiple attempts by most of them to try to find a vein to get an IV in for the transfusion. Carissa was worn out from crying by the end and had kind of shut down and started ignoring them fiddling with her by the end. Pamela and I were worn out from being one tense muscle the whole time they were trying to get the IV started and from trying not to cry as loudly as Carissa...ok that last part was just me, not Pamela. They wound up having to put the IV into the top of her head and Carissa has thus had one of the worst hair days on record for anyone, not just her.

I must mention that I had a great conversation early this morning with one of the staff that I had a difficult time with yesterday and learned more about her and what has been going on in her life over the past 1 1/2 years. God gave me an incredible reminder that you might want to cut people some slack even when things seem to be very challenging in your own life and they don't seem to be helping to full capacity. You would think since I am old enough to be the father of some of the parents we see in the NICU I would know better. I think if I remembered the 100th Psalm more often I might not expend so much thought and energy needlessly.
Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations.

• Please thank God for Carissa's progress and His love and mercy being so evident in her life
• Please pray that Carissa will be able to take the platelet transfusion yesterday and the rbc's today and use these as a strong push in getting better and overcoming some of her blood and circulation challenges.
• Please pray for the doctors, nurses, and other staff to make wise decisions in Carissa's care and that they will know when to act and when to allow her to mature through some issues on her own (We all know she is not on her own!)
• Please continue to pray for Dante (who was in Carissa's area in Level 3 NICU) and his Mom, Misty, and that Pamela might be able to see Misty to check on their progress and to let her know of prayers being lifted up for them.
• Please pray that people would take advantage of giving glory to our Almighty God as they share or even hear of Carissa's story.

Yours and His

Terry