FORT SILL, Okla. -- "It's cancer."
Those are two words, as adults, you do not want to hear from any physician, but what about when it's your 6-year-old child?
Spc. Moises Rodriguez and his wife, Jasmin, have had to live with that reality since October 2010 when their son Justin was diagnosed with a germ cell tumor in the pineal gland.
The pineal region is one of two areas in the brain where germ cell tumors can occur, according to the New York Presbyterian Hospital website. Germ cell tumors are very rare and make up 0.4 to 3.4 percent of all intracranial tumors. Germ cell tumors in the area are malignant.
Pineal region tumors make up 3 to 8 percent of pediatric brain tumors, according to the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
Once the diagnosis was given, the parents received even more heart wrenching news he has two years at most, and they should just make him as comfortable as possible.
"The doctors told us that there's a 95 percent chance that he was not going to make it those two years," said Jasmin.
"I was totally devastated," said Moises. "I was pretty much numb, either in a corner crying or hiding my feelings."
Dad was not the only one affected by the illness. Older brother Julian has also had a hard time with Justin's illness. While close, the two brothers were closer prior to the diagnosis. Now, Justin and sister, Annabelle, 5, are a lot closer, said Moises.
Having received the bleak prognosis, the family accepted the challenge and went about doing everything possible to overcome the diagnosis.
Justin endured months of aggressive radiation and chemotherapy to no avail. The only remaining option brain surgery. Justin had his brain surgery in December.
"It was like giving birth again," said Jasmin. "There have been so many firsts."
Justin was unable to speak for more than a month, had temporary paralysis in his left arm and right leg, and suffers from short-term memory loss. Although those obstacles were bad, his lowest point was Dec. 7, said Jasmin.
Justin was not responding to chemotherapy, he was having a hard time recognizing his family and wanted to be with his mom every second of the day, she said.
"He came to me and said, 'Mom, I'm tired. I'm sorry, but I'm not coming back,'" said Jasmin. That was a time when she didn't think he would make it.
"I totally freaked out," she said. In spite of that incident, she was able to hold it together and move forward with his treatment.
"He has come so far in this last year," said Jasmin. "It's been totally incredible. He has so much faith."
In spite of how far he has come, Justin still faced one more hurdle. Did the tumor go into remission?
While the family waited to find the answer to that question, Justin and his family were given a weeklong trip to Disney World and Sea World by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Justin also had one other wish fulfilled to eat lunch surrounded by Soldiers. Soldiers from C Battery, 2nd Battalion, 5th Field Artillery, joined the family during the presentation of the trip to Disney World July 25.
On Aug. 3, a day after returning from Disney World, Justin and his mom received the news the cancer is in remission. Though in remission, Justin will have to maintain a schedule of follow-up appointments to monitor his medical condition.
"You can never give up hope," said Jasmin.
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