Borderline normal

I have sort of become used to blood tests. It seems that whenever I go to the hospital they take blood, and I go often. I sometimes also have to have blood tests at my GP surgery to supplement the ones at the hospital. I dread bumping into one of the MS Specialist Nurses in the supermarket in case they say ‘Oh, by the way, we just need some more blood’ as I head for the check-out.

I recently started taking part in a research study for a new medicine. More blood tests.

Yesterday I was phoned by one of the study doctors to say I needed to come in to the hospital for another blood test. I was only there last week. She had got the blood test results. She said there was nothing for me to worry about. She was the one doing the worrying. She said it was her job to worry and repeated, several times, that I didn’t have to worry. She did. I didn’t – I’m obedient like that.

I dutifully went to the hospital this afternoon for my blood test. I asked the doctor why they needed another blood test, what was wrong with my blood count from last week’s? He explained about my white blood cells. I nearly understood it all.

The MS Trials Nurse told me that I had only been ‘borderline normal’ at the start of the study. Now there has been a drop in one element of my white blood cell count. I need more neutrophils. Put very simply, mainly because that’s how I understand it, neutrophils gobble up infections. I think they are like Pacmans scooting round the maze of the body. I’ve had a virus – flu which turned into a bacterial infection. My little Pacmans have had their work cut out and are depleted in numbers.

I currently aspire to be borderline normal again. Hopefully I’ll exceed that and become normal. I suspect friends may say that’s impossible. We can all dream, can’t we?