One of medicine’s most remarkable therapeutic triumphs was the discovery of insulin in 1921. The drug produced astonishing results, rescuing children and adults from the deadly grip of diabetes. But as Chris Feudtner demonstrates, the subsequent transformation of the disease from a fatal condition into a chronic illness is a story of success tinged with irony, a revealing saga that illuminates the complex human consequences of medical intervention.Bittersweet chronicles th...

Newly-minted doctor-intern Rob McNeal cares for pediatric patients ranging from newborns to young adults. Some will live minutes, others decades—the outcome isn't always obvious. Rob's task is to push for more life in their days and, sometimes, to accept fewer days. Rob's emotional and professional journey is interwoven with the lives of his patients, their families, and the hospital staff. His growing responsibilities impose a heavy emotional toll as he struggles to complete his internshi...