Sunday, August 24, 2008

Another Important Blood Count Correction

So the same reader who brought to my attention the Hematocrit/Hemoglobin issue (who is not always a lurker, but since he has been for these two issues I won't out him, although he's been right both times so maybe he wants to out himself), asked whether or not I was really sure that my understanding of the measurement of my white cell counts was accurate. Turns out it wasn't—I found an old blood test today in the door of the car and was able to check out what it really says. What it says is this: In the reference range column, normal is a range of 4.3-10. Mine, at its height earlier this summer, was at 42. But what it says in the results column is 42 THOU, which became, in my head, 42,000 out of a recommended high of 10. However, I do think that the units are in thousands for both columns, so I was off by a magnitude of 1,000 for my high scores (but accurate for my 5.6 recently). Blame it on chemo brain, or age, or merely a misinterpretation of a somewhat misleading spreadsheet, but I think I've got it figured out now. I'll double check with my nurse tomorrow to make sure I'm reading it correctly now. But 42 does make a lot more sense than 42,000 on a scale of 4.3-10.

2 comments:

joel said...

Nice update Calin. There's nothing wrong with your brain! Fortunately you don't have the brain of an old nitpicky engineer. Best wishes on continued progress.

Yes, I am outing myself....

joel

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Joel, for providing all this blood wisdom. Obviously the brain of an old nitpicky engineer is a fine thing indeed.