Desert Hot Springs Boy Battles Pituitary Tumor

DESERT HOT SPRINGS – Tony Castrodale was asked to write a paper in schooldetailing what he had learned in the long hours at his desk. He chose to write about his difficult journey; one full of fear, uncertainty, hope, prayer and growth.

“I wanted to get it out to people that you can go through a lot of grief, but you can get goodness out of it,” says 14 year-old Tony Castrodale.

His story begins in December, 2007. Tony started getting frequent headaches, and it seemed he’d stopped growing.

“We though it was weird that everyone, including my younger sisters, were starting to pass me up,” says Tony.

His parents thought, he just needed to eat better.

“They’d say, ‘Tony that’s not enough vegetables. You need to eat more vegetables to grow’,” says Tony.

However, the solution went way beyond vegetables. Tony had a tumor on his pituitary gland.

“In a million years, you’d never think it was a brain tumor,” says Louisa Castrodale, Tony’s mom.

The pituitary gland is just below the brain. It controls sex hormone levels, lactation, the thyroid gland, body steroids and growth hormone.

These tumors are rare in children, and can have devastating effects, including vision problems, headaches, overactive thyroid and either abnormally large body growth, or in Tony case, stunted growth.

“We didn’t think it was as serious as that,” says Tony.

After months of medical consultations and tests, though, it became clear. Tony needed surgery.

“We were shocked,” says Louisa. “You don’t know the outcome, and you don’t have control over it.”

One small mistake could steal his memory, sight or even his life.

“There is nothing you fear more as a parent than losing your child,” says Louisa.

The family fought the uncertainty with faith.

“We began praying like crazy,” says Louisa.

Throughout the entire experience Tony and his family had a lot of support from friends, family and the community, but what really got them through were signs from above.

In Tony’sessay he writes about three hope inspiring encounters. First, at church when a priest prayed over him.

“I swear to this day when he had his hands on my head I felt some power and energy running from him into me, like through God or something,” says Tony.

Then, a complete stranger at the grocery store echoed something similar.

“This lady came up to me and said, ‘this is the boy I have been praying for’,” says Tony. “We think she may have been an angel.”

Finally, the night before Tony’s surgery, his dad had a dream. He says God came to him and said everything would be okay.

“When those things happen, it keeps you going a little further and you just don’t give up,” says Louisa.

The operation took more than 8 hours. Then, all the hopes, dreams and prayers came true. Tony survived and began his journey on the road to recovery.

“Everything is possible,” says Tony.

Now, the tumor is gone. Tony takes a growth hormone, and he’s grown about 4 inches since the surgery two years ago.

Things are looking up, literally.

“This year, I’m predicted to pass up my mom. That will be interesting,” says Tony. “I feel really good. I have nothing against being short, I’ve been short my whole life, but it will be interesting to be a little taller.”

Doctors expect tony will eventually be between 5-foot-8 and 6-feet-2-inches tall.

“I feel like I’ve gotten to a new state of normal, and I’m healthy,” says Tony. “I’m more confident, definitely.”

With this new found confidence, he’s ready for the next challenge. Maybe turning his school paper into a book or using the second chance he got to give back to others.

“I feel like I have been called from God to do something with my life to help others,” says Tony. “Maybe I’ll become a priest or a teacher or a doctor.”

For the growing boy, the sky is the limit.