My Memoirs - Citizen of the World

Professor at New York University while continuing a private
practice as a Gastroenterologist in the center of Manhattan in New
York City. He is the author of the book Living with Chronic
Heartburn and is also on the advisory board for Woman's Day
Magazine. He lectures nationally and has authored research papers
as well as book chapters. In addition to English, Paulo speaks,
writes and understands Portuguese and Spanish.
I will never forget the day he returned the Sunoco gas credit card
that I gave him. Deodete and I worked very hard to pay tuition and
other expenses for our children’s education, and it was worth every
penny. We both feel wonderful, not only because they turned out
to be great human beings, but because they are always there for us.
In March 1995, our son, Paulo, while doing his residency at
Cornell, came home one day and told his mother and me that he
had a confession to make. We were very anxious to find out what
he had to say. He told us that he was gay and that he had been
living with this secret for a long time.
We both started crying desperately with our disappointment. He
recognized that we were devastated by the news. He said he had
been suffering for a long time, but he felt that it was not right to
hold it in any longer. He said he didn’t want to lie to us and
wanted us to be part of his life, but he felt that this secret was
coming between us. To help me to understand this new
development in our lives, I made an appointment to see Dr. Donn
Posner, a psychologist. For a few months, our relationship with
our son was not very good. He said that he, too, had gone to see a
psychologist. He plainly and honestly said that he was not going to
change and that his sexual orientation had been determined. He
had met a wonderful person, and he was extremely happy. My
wife and I continued to deal with the situation in the best way that
we could. Dr. Posner insisted that I tell my best friends and family
because, otherwise, I was never going to live in peace. It turned
out to be great advice. Deodete and I summoned up some courage
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