To Walk Among the Gods

When Apollo's son, Asclepius, the first physician, became so skilled at healing he could bring the dead back to life, Zeus slew him with a thunderbolt because he was afraid Asclepius might render all mankind immortal. But because of his ability to heal, Asclepius became a hero to the people, so Zeus raised him up to Olympus to walk among the gods.This is a tale of an idealistic young physician searching for universal truths while coping with the harsh realities of working in a city, county hospital. Dave goes through hell as an intern in a large teaching hospital where he not only has to address the medical and surgical problems of his patients, but he is exposed to the social ills that plague their lives: violence, abuse, racism, bigotry, and wealth inequality. He finds heaven in the love of a beautiful, exceptional, and complicated young woman named Sharon. She struggles to face her own demons, including her childhood traumas, and the almost constant sexual harassment she's subjected to. But before Sharon can return Dave's love and link her future to his, she must first find herself.They experience catastrophic ups and downs as Dave progresses through his year of internship. He is filled with insecurity about his chosen profession, and Sharon confronts an obsessed, violent ex-lover. The crisis comes when Sharon falls fatally ill, and Dave has to sit by as she fights for her life. Her life and death struggle finally mold him into a consummate professional: a physician. A deep dive into the complexities of life, To Walk Among the Gods is a story about the human condition, the mores of the current culture, and the morals of a nihilistic, existential society.