Along with a form for tracking lab results, it would be very helpful to have an explanation of what those results MEAN. I remember getting a detailed explanation (but not the details of what it was at this point) from an oncology nurse about how they computed white blood cell count from the lab results--it wasn't just a straightforward number on a printout. Furthermore, there was one level of WBC where I was "too neutropenic" to get the next round of chemo but it turned out that that was slightly above the level where I was technically neutropenic by the definition the hospital used when I was admitted with a fever a day or two later.

While I was in the hospital with the mysterious fever that took it's time going down, they took blood every day and I finally asked a nurse to tell me what the blood count numbers meant. He explained the confusing white blood cell thing again (how I was just barely above the technical def. of neutropenia but the other number that indicates you have baby white blood cells suggested I should be OK soon) and also I learned, to my surprise, that despite the Procrit injections, I was just barely above the red blood cell number that, if you go below, they often do a blood transfusion!

I don't know, maybe most people don't want that level of detial and just rely on what the docs and nurses tell them but I would have liked to understand better what it all meant to begin with.

Nelie