Your white count goes up when your body is trying to fight something off i wonder if its trying to fight off the shunt due to it being a object in your head. I'm not a doctor or anything close to it but i think the white count going up has something to do with the shunt. I have not got to the point that i need a cain yet who cares what other people thinkif you fall and get hurt or even bump your head where the shunt is. I know what its like too have people look at you like that i have tremors that get really bad at times that people will look at me and talk about me behind my back. That will never change all you in just walk away i hope things get better for you don't give up and keep fighting.