Count and display the number of pages in a multi-page PDF.

Hello I need to add code to my existing VB .NET project (VS Express 2010) which can count the pages in a PDF file and display the number on screen. My existing project takes the PDF file(s) and compresses them,.... but I would like the program to also count and display the number of pages in the PDF file(s). ....In fact to be more specific I would like to count the pages of every PDF file that my program compresses and ADD all the pages up and display in a Total number field/display/window on screen (i.e. ....on a field in my existing GUI form for my program). The reason: I want to know how many pages my program has processed since it started counting. The count has to continue to work after a reboot of the machine and must be able to count continually forever, until I want to reset it back to 0. NOTE - I know this can be done in C++ as I have done similar projects before and have the library's, but I need it in VB .NET. Alternatively I guess we could do it in C++ and compiled into an exe which the VB code can call up and run in the background to do the job....?) I hope this makes sense and is of interest. Please feel free to ask any questions. Thanks very much. Greg