Book excerpt: Stories of life, death and unforgettable clinical cases A psychiatrist and a patient with supernatural connections. A family man's resilience as he recovers from a life-changing terrorist attack. A rural nurse specialist and his incredible roadside rescue of a woman on the brink of cardiac death. A trauma therapist caught in the aftermath of a violent methamphetamine episode. The Unexpected Patient tells the stories of patients who impacted health carers in unforgettable ways: patients who showed stubborn perseverance on the road to recovery, who clung to hope in the face of unexpected trauma, and who illuminated the indomitable depths of the human spirit. These stories look at the things that lead to bad health outcomes, from the seeds that are set before we are born, to the personal choices we make, and to societal and health sector shortcomings. Yet, ultimately, The Unexpected Patient is about human relationships and the bonds forged between two people: a medic and that one, unforgettable patient.