6/4 update

What a first day at home! Carissa has had longer and more alert awake periods the past couple of days than ever before. A lot has been going on with getting prepared to leave the hospital and then coming home and she just appears to be getting a little strength also. She has nursed some and then taken bottles very well. Just early last week after a busy day Carissa would often need to be tube fed because she just couldn't quite muster the strength to take a bottle.

Colton has been a big help just fetching things and taking some time to play with Luke. Luke alternates between trying to be the most helpful 19 month old you have ever seen and wondering why he is having to share his Mommy with this newcomer.

Our first doctor visit is tomorrow to the hematologist where the possibility exists that we could have a lengthy visit if the blood count shows a need for a transfusion of platelets or rbc's. Our frequency of visits to the hematologist will be determined some tomorrow by what that cbc shows. We head to the first pediatrician visit early Monday morning.

We have been asked to make sure that we have no visitors with any sickness or even visitors with immediate family members that are sick so please forgive us if we just verify that if you want to come see us. I have also been given the job of Hand-washing Czar to make sure we try to stop anything from reaching Carissa. Until her blood situation stabilizes she is much more susceptible to things than even regular newborns, thus the extra precautions. We want everyone who wants to come see Carissa to be able to do that. We just have to take a few precautions.

• Please continue to thank God for Carissa's progress and for her being able to take the huge step of coming home.
• Please pray that she will be able to produce and regulate all the different blood components, and specifically that the platelet numbers will start improving.
• Please pray that Carissa's lung developement will continue and that she will be able to start working her way to room air.
• Please pray for Pamela and I as we develop schedules and try to get enough rest and that our family will be protected against illness that could be a problem for Carissa.
• Please pray that our Heavenly Father keeps getting the glory for Carissa's progress and for her continued healing.

Please keep praying for Carissa. Her progress is a testimony to the power of prayer to a hearing and merciful God.

It has been a while since I included a verse that Travis was welcomed with when he went home after his surgery last year: The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Yours and His,

Terry