Thursday, May 20, 2010

5/20 Update

Wanted to thank everyone for their prayers and also let y'all know that Carissa's blood numbers are ticking up slowly. She also gained a tiny bit of weight. They do want to keep checking her blood so please keep praying about that. They also will be doing a screen on June 1st for cystic fibrosis and doing an ultrasound on her abdomen because her spleen is more prevalent again than it should be.

As has often been the case, Carissa's blood tests show some contradictory data that has the doctors a little baffled. Please pray for us, especially Pamela, on deciding on the best food and supplements for Carissa, and that she would have a good appetite for the good food.

Please keep praying. We are so thankful for your prayers and for our Heavenly Father's hand on Carissa once again.

Yours and His,
Terry

5/17 Update

I have been contemplating sending a quick update with a couple of details for prayer requests and finally gave in since many of you in the past have been very quick to let us know that you want to know what to pray about with Carissa.

Carissa has hit a couple of challenges recently. Her blood counts are very anemic again so she is being treated with iron supplements and some special diet items. We go back to the hematologist on Thursday for a followup and to get some test results back. If her blood work is not headed in the right direction there is a possiblity of some pretty serious testing in the near future to find a cause. They do not feel this anemia is connected with the anemia she had in the first few months of her life.

Carissa also has really slowed on gaining weight and has slowed developmentally just because she seems weaker than she has been in the recent past. The iron supplement seems to be suppressing her appetite so we are in a little bit of a circle of frustration right now.

Carissa continues to be a very good-natured baby. She is quick to flash that toothless smile. She has also started sleeping through the night much more often than her once a quarter pace she was on for the first year and we are very thankful for that.

Thanks in advance for you prayers. We are scheduled to go on vacation the end of the week as long as everything stays on track. I will try to update everyone as to the results we find out Thursday before we leave for vacation.

Please know that we really are incredibly thankful for y'alls prayers as well as just the opportunity to experience these challenges with Carissa's health.

Yours and His,
Terry