Here comes the sun...

Daybreak in the ICU is an extremely perplexing time.  While most workplaces have a certain rhythm that they ramp up with, it seems as if the ICU's rhythm is more like a drag race.  While I am not, personally, a racing fan, I remember a quote once made by a driver involved in some version of the sport -- He said it was akin to "getting hit by a cement truck from behind".  Just when you think that the activity has ceased in the ICU, BOOM -- things are flying again!

And so it was that morning.  Just as the sun came out, the noise level increased exponentially.  And the flow of personnel began the steady stream of trips in and out of my room.  As some tried to straighten out my medications, others began to bring me results of the tests being done.  First, the great news was that my cardiac rhythms were again back to normal.  Whew -- One bullet dodged.  Then came the news that my potassium level had stopped rising -- It wasn't near normal yet, but was trending in the right direction.  Yes!  Two for two, and I began to feel like Superman... Faster than a speeding bullet.  Nothing could get me!  I was clearly invincible!

That was the start of one of the most difficult lessons to learn about being ill.  Never get too high about hearing good news, and never get too low after hearing the bad.  And I had taken the bait of the good news, hook, line and sinker.  Of course, the next set of results (which, by this point, I had forgotten even existed), showed that I was still in renal failure, and, although they assured me that they still hadn't seen anything indicating lasting damage, they were going to bring in some specialists -- Just to be sure...

Thanks for visiting us, sir.  Now here is your to-go bag... Full of Kryptonite!  You may want to avoid contact with the high tension power lines on your way down...

So there I sat, still in shock about the sudden turn of events.  I knew that things would probably work out, and yet there I was, like an idiot, unable to believe that I would have let myself get fooled that badly.  Never again, I promised myself.  Never again.