“Go to the ER immediately,’’ my doctor urged over the phone, “your potassium level is 7.2. You could go into sudden cardiac arrest.”
I was in shock. “What? How?.. I did exactly what you told me to.”
“We will figure it out later. Go to the ER now,” he said.
Standing next to me, my younger brother heard everything. He told me to get ready and raced to pack some essentials. I felt numb. I walked around like a zombie. My mom asked us what happened. My brother said little, “no time to explain. We are going to the ER. I will call you later.”
In the car, I felt tears coming down my cheeks. My brother turned to look at me. I could see the fear in his eyes. And I couldn’t help feeling guilty.
“Why are you crying?” he asked.
I didn’t respond. I wasn't sure why. But I couldn't stop.
Is this it? Is this how I die? I am not ready.
“You need to be calm. Panicking will make it harder for your body to handle what’s happening,” my brother reminded me.
I agreed. We drove in silence and arrived at the hospital. My brother wasn’t allowed inside. Due to COVID19, only I could go in. I expected to be rushed to the ICU. But the staff didn’t even want to make eye contact. They seemed fed up. They had seen too many deaths and…
