5/25 update

Carissa seems like she has decided that bottle feeding is the way to go. She took at least 6 in a row before finishing 2/3 of her bottle tonight after her bath. The bath normally wears out any of the babies for a while so it was impressive that she finished most of the last bottle. I guess we owe that to the strength gained from the transfusion because I have known Dave probably 15 years and have never seen him do anything but take his meals orally...although I have seen him use a straw for his Diet Cokes.

Luke helped out by brushing Carissa's hair today. We would have taken a picture except all hands were in full ready and defensive position just in case the brush became more of a weapon than a grooming device. Both Carissa and Luke survived that well. Colton spent his time in the NICU studying for his tests this week. After a pretty rough start to the 9 weeks Colt has buckled down and has really done a great job of raising his grades. He only has two tests left Tuesday and one each on Wednesday and Thursday and he will be done for the year...and he'll tell you it isnt a day too soon.

There is still not consensus among the doctors as to what Carissa's root challenge is since there have not been clear test results showing a diagnosis. Dr. Abassi, Carissa's main doctor in level 2 this month, still feels like it is some variant strange form of antibodies destroying her platelets. If that is so then she should really stop having the platelet issue by 6-8 weeks of age. That would be a little surprising since she did have a time when her platelet count was rising instead of falling for a while.

I think the doctors and staff still feel pretty good about the direction that Carissa is going and mentioned again today that maybe in the next couple of weeks we can start thinking about her being able to go home. How much she progresses in the next couple of weeks will determine if that is possible, as well as to whether she goes home fairly "normally" or if she will need to have monitors and oxygen support. As an fyi Carissa is up to almost 6# 3 oz. now, so she has been growing well.

• Please thank God again for all the progress He has led Carissa through.
• Please pray that Carissa will continue to strengthen and that she will start producing and properly regulating all her blood components and that her heart rate will stay in the range that it needs to.
• Please pray that they will be able to start weaning Carissa off the oxygen support and that she will continue to improve on feeding orally and even start to get part of her milk through nursing.
• Please pray for Dante and his mom, Misty, and that Pamela will have the opportunity to visit with her again.
• Please pray that our Almighty God is glorified in Carissa's progress and please help that happen as you relay Carissa's story.

Thanks again so much to each of you for praying for Carissa and please keep praying for her. Let's finish with another great verse Travis' friends had waiting for him last year after he returned home after his brain surgery to remove his tumor:

"And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Psalm 50:15

Yours and His

Terry