5/29 update and mini interview

Another day, another round on the Carissa coaster. Carissa had her OCRG test this morning and we will get results next week about how she did. We did find out that her renal test yesterday came back as everything working like it should. What was really cool was when I got to the hospital today a few minutes before CPR started and Carissa was there taking her bottle from the nurse...WITHOUT HER NASAL CANNULA IN AND DOING GREAT. I was able to feed her her bottles at 3:00 and 6:00 and she did well also with just a little attention paid to helping her take breaks to keep her oxygen saturation up.


Carissa spent a total of 11 hours or so without the nasal cannula in before getting it put back in tonight. She had a lot going on between eating, getting an IV put back in for a platelet transfusion, getting weighed, getting the transfusion...so we'll celebrate her first almost half day breathing entirely on her own.

As I am sure you figured out from the run-on sentence above, Carissa's platelet count dipped below the threshold so she needed a transfusion of platelets. We also learned that one of the stipulations for Carissa going home, and perhaps the most challenging for her, will be to maintain a platelet count of above 100 so now we know how to pray about that. Most, if not all, of her other numbers, including the neutrophil count, were in good shape. Now on to the mini-interview. As you can see from above Carissa had a busy day so there was not a lot of time for the media...even if it was her Dad.

Carissa preferred to do today's interview as a series of imitations to show off her creativity and flexibility a little so here goes. Alright Miss Carissa, what does Daddy look like when someone wakes him up from a nap?




Wow. Do I really look that groggy? Hey, can you do Eliot from E.T. when that bright light from the spaceship was shining down on them?




I had no idea you could do special effects. That's pretty cool. Can you imitate Luke looking innocent before he yanks out the wireless card and Daddy has to chase him around and get the wireless card back before he can finish the update?



I don't care what anyone says. That's a very impressive imitation. Show them what a very content baby in the Level 2 NICU looks like.



Now show them what a mischievous baby looks like when her diaper is about to get changed and the nurse doesn't know it is a dirty one.





I can't believe you would pull a trick like that. You must get that from Mom. Ok, one last imitation. What does it look like speeding down a hill on this wonderful ride, the Carissa Coaster?

Once again, very impressive special effects on the wind-blown hair. Thank you for your time today, Carissa.

• Please thank God for Carissa's progress and for letting her spend 11+ hours breathing on her own today.
• Please pray that Carissa's platelets will be able to start stabilizing to the point that they will stay above 100 and that her other blood numbers continue in a good range.
• Please pray for wisdom for the doctors and staff as they seek to find out how they can help Carissa's platelet situation and look for what is causing it.
• Please continue to pray for Dante and his mom, Misty.
• Please pray that God continue to be glorified as Carissa's story is told.

What an incredible verse occurs in Romans 8: 31 that can be applied to every challenge we face. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? I don't think you will regret taking a minute to ponder the power of that verse.

Thank y'all once again for your prayers and please keep'em coming.

Yours and His

Terry