In the past, Traditional Chinese Medicine was passed from Master to his disciple. In the present time we are the one who choose the professor. Professor can’t choose disciples anymore as he wants because of the school system.
I just want to dedicate some words to my professor Dr. Gaudenzio Garozzo. Many of you come to my office seeing just me and my other therapists. Well, many of you do not know that every single piece of my office, every corner, everything, is talking to me about HIM. If I was able to help you in your condition, it is again thanks to him.
In my case I was chosen by him. I still remember our first meeting. He was bringing 3 patients from Italy in critical condition with hope that America will offer them the best therapies for their recovery. I was by then working in the neurological center where seeing patient quadriplegic wasn’t abnormal and where our journey begins.
I can still hear his words in my ears saying: “Eva Paglialonga, now you will be responsible for their recovery, you will be doing acupuncture because I will teach you everything and you will see how acupuncture really works”! At that moment I was still a second year student with many wrong concepts about Chinese Medicine as the school passes it to us. But soon HE started to be my school. And I really discovered the unique magnificent power of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
First with Clemente, who was at that time 4 years old and my first patient who was suffering of epilepsy. Before Dr. Garozzo started to treat him, Clemente was having epileptic attacks 10-15x/day being on 3 heavy medications, which were poisoning his body. At the moment he arrived in Florida and was put in my hands, this little boy had a large stain on his cheek as a side effect from his medicine. But thanks to my professor I was able to treat him and by the time he left for Italy he was epilepsy-free and medicine-free. We have had many of them like that.
Dr. Garozzo and I became very close during all those years because we dedicated our life to many patients with severe conditions. Life wasn’t easy at all, but he was always there for me – and at any time. I could call on him 24 hours a day or night and he would guide me through. During those years we have organized multiple lectures for other doctors who wanted to learn about acupuncture and we’ll continue to do so.
As you know, we all need guidance at some point in our lives, especially in those critical moments – and from someone you respect. For me that person is my professor. He knows me so well that he can read my mind. One day I wasn’t feeling well. It was during the night while I was visiting him in Italy. He came to my room in the night saying that he had this dream I was in pain. There are other cheerful moments where I also feel a strong connection between us.
On one of my trips to Italy it was my birthday and I was visiting Dr. Garozzo while working together in his office. You know how we encourage everyone not to drink coffee and to stay away from dairy products, right? Well, that day he woke up before I did and went to the bar downstairs and brought me back the best fresh coffee and the best mozzarella in town. For us, that is absolutely breaking the rules of Chinese Medicine, but he did it for me just because he knew I would enjoy it 🙂
There are many stories we share because he has become a part of my life and we are very close friends. Not only do I consider him the BEST DOCTOR IN THE WORLD, he is also the most honest and caring man too. Thanks to him many lives have been saved – mine too.