5/28 update

Carissa's blood count this morning showing most things ticking up except for platelets which is still declining fairly quickly, especially considering that they had started moving up a few days before this decline started. Carissa has taken almost all of her feedings orally the last two days and they are thinking about taking the tube to her stomach out of her nose. Now, I am just a humble homebuilder, but it seems to me that the fewer things you have in your nose the more flow you can have to your lungs. I know it isn't much but I hope it will be something else that will help Carissa's breathing a little bit.

I know I mentioned the power issue in Hockley last night. Did I mention that we have to take infant CPR tomorrow afternoon as another step in getting Carissa home? I guess that is in case we know someone who has an infant who might need CPR someday. Did y'all know that my amazing wife performed CPR on an elderly gentleman one time shortly after we got married while she was working in a bank and this man went down in the lobby? Everyone else kind of went into at least a mini-panic and Pamela kept him alive until the paramedics arrived and took over. While I am rambling, I should let you know that Hockley is actually named after George Hockley who was the Commander of the Texian artillery at San Jacinto, so it really is pretty cool to live in a town named for him.

Tomorrow I think we will hear about the results from Carissa's renal ultrasound today and she will also take her OCRG test that will show how well she breathes during her various activities (sleeping, crying, eating, pooping, renegotiating room rates, plotting to overthrow her brothers...) and will determine if she will be on oxygen and monitors when she goes home.

We have had the misfortune of seeing at least one baby that was about to go home have a setback and go back to level 3 NICU instead. I just tell y'all that to really encourage you to keep praying for Carissa and let's not take anything for granted while being very thankful for how far the Great Physician has brought her.

• Please thank God for Carissa's amazing progress and for Him being so obvious in her life
• Please pray that Carissa will continue to strengthen and that most of her blood components and management will continue to improve and that her platelet production and management will begin improving
• Please pray that the tests will show Carissa's improvement and will give a clear indication of what assistance, if any, she will need to have at home.
• Please continue to pray for Dante who was in Carissa's area in Level 3 NICU, and for his mom, Misty, and that Pamela might be able to visit with her sometime.
• Please pray that more opportunities will happen like yesterday where Pamela was able to give credit to our Almighty God while not minimizing the assistance of everyone at Texas Children's Hospital

Thank you so much for your prayers and please continue to intercede for our little Carissa.

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11: 28-29

Yours and His,

Terry