Low

• Hemoglobin 8.7 (normal 13.0-17.3)
• Absolute neutrophil count: 0.4 (normal 1.4-7.5)
• White blood cell count: 0.6 (normal 4-10)

The nurse just called to report my counts from yesterday's test. Nice; means I don't have to go pick them up, though I also want to see the DNA test and the CT scan results that weren't ready last week.

These counts will drop a bit more before they start to pick up again. Hemoglobin below 10.0 is really low; explains my constant exhaustion right now. I'm staying in bed a lot.

Infection risk is now truly severe, as predicted. Gabrielle managed to stay clear of Luka's cold for over a week, but it finally got her yesterday, despite everything, so now we have to work even harder to keep me isolated. Without many white cells, my body's response to infection won't be normal in any way. The main thing is to track my temperature and go to the hospital if I get a fever. The next week or so will be the hardest.

Have to get a repeat test on Thursday, and the nurse is scheduling a blood transfusion for Friday. May not happen; it depends on what the counts do and just how bad I feel. Transfusions have their own risks, so I don't want to do one if I don't have to, but I think on balance infection is more dangerous.