5/27 update

I love roller coasters. One of my favorite is Superman at Fiesta Texas. Sometimes it feels like we have been on a 7 week roller coaster going back to 4/8 when we first checked into St. Luke's (no relation to our Luke). The thing I like about roller coasters is that you know there are going to be some surprises, but it always winds up working out. Our ride on the Carissa Faith coaster has been quite a thrill. How do you like that pose in the picture?

The last two days have fit the roller coaster analogy. There have been highs, lows, pleasant, and not as pleasant surprises...but the coaster is still on the tracks. Tuesday morning was greeted with news that Carissa's blood count numbers had generally fallen with the platelets and neutrophil count in a pretty bad range. The interesting thing is that during rounds Tuesday morning her team decided to skip a day on the cbc so we didn't hear today about the counts today but will Thursday morning after they test again.

They decided today to start taking some steps that need to be done before Carissa gets to go home, so that is very cool. As exciting as that is, imagine taking your 7 or 8 week old daughter home that has always been on some sort of oxygen support and had monitors on that warned you of every heart rate plunge or oxygen saturation issue. It is a little different things like that happening at one of the best hospitals in the world and happening in Hockley, the town that causes you to clear your throat just to pronounce. One of the tests Carissa will be taking will determine if she goes home with oxygen support and with any monitors. Although they are not mentioning her going home in the next few days they are still doing the test to determine with what support she will go home with on Friday. Did I mention it is not uncommon for our power to go out at times?

Carissa has continued to gain weight and is barely over 6# 5oz. now. She has taken most of her feedings by bottle except for the overnight ones. You probably have not heard that Carissa renegotiated her room rate and even worked out a rebate straight from Pampers after the transfusion from Dave, our Director of Purchasing. I wonder if the transfusion has anything to do with that?

• Please thank God for Carissa's amazing progress (see below for a reminder of how amazing)


• Please pray that Carissa's heart rate, ability to produce and regulate blood components, and oxygen saturation will strengthen and improve to where these all need to be.


• Please pray for wisdom for the doctors and staff to know when to act, when to just let Carissa keep strengthening, and how to prepare her and us for her going home.


• Please pray still for Dante and his Mom, Misty and that Pamela might be able to visit with her before we get to go home.


• Please take every opportunity to glorify God for Carissa's progress

As the nurse practitioner was going over some of the "getting ready to go home" items today with Pamela she paused in the middle to say "Do you know how blessed y'all are to be even talking about a baby going home at 7 or 8 weeks old that had hydrops at birth and was born 7 1/2 weeks premature?" Pamela assured her that we did know how blessed we are to have a great hospital and staff, hundreds of people praying for our daughter, and an Almighty God choosing to show His favor on us when we don't deserve it. We are blessed indeed.

Thank you for being part of that incredible blessing by praying for Carissa, and please keep on praying. I don't think we can finish without remembering the end of Ephesians 3: Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Yours and His,

Terry