Pam's journey with cancer---
At age 47, Pam Schnettler was preparing for her oldest daughter’s graduation party during Memorial weekend 2008. Through the hustle and bustle of her long to-do list, things suddenly took an unexpected turn. During a trip to the supermarket, Pam suddenly felt the grocery aisles caving in. She went home to rest, which was the last thing she remembered that day. After being awakened by her family and being in and out of consciousness, they called 911 and an ambulance arrived soon after, at their home in Sartell, MN.
After awakening in the Emergency Room, the physician and Pam’s husband, Greg, told her she had a brain tumor. She then had a brain biopsy and MRI, which showed it was cancerous. After discussing her options with physicians, the final decision was made to not have surgery. Knowing the large size of her tumor, they stated that the surgery would not remove it all, and could result in deficits including loss of peripheral vision and a potential weakness on one side of her body. The decision not to have surgery was also made easier when genetic results from the tumor revealed that her cancer was very responsive to radiation therapy. Knowing how important quality of life is for Pam, this was the best choice.
All of this happened at a very significant time in Pam’s life — her first daughter’s graduation, moving and settling into college. Thankfully, her family and friends stepped up to the plate not only to help her with the graduation party but all the emotions brought on by these new life transitions. Pam’s friends and family were a strong support network — from keeping her busy making a T-shirt quilt for her daughters, to planning fun visits and dinners to just check in. The overwhelming amount of prayers also were comforting.
In July 2008, Pam started radiation therapy. “Just like that, the day came that I had to show up for my first radiation treatment — it was a bad day. When you walk into the waiting room, you look around and really realize, ‘Oh my God, I have cancer. Look at all these people who have cancer too.’ Pam responded very well to the radiation treatments and she enjoyed many cancer-free years full of fun times with family and friends. Pam was also able to continue her job in the accounting department at CentraCare Health System which she greatly enjoyed.
Unfortunately in April 2014, the tumor came back. Pam's medical oncologist explained how her type of brain tumor, oligodendroglioma, is rare and only found in 9.4 percent of brain cancers. He clarified that because her tumor was very slow growing, her clinical symptoms outweighed her MRI results, which put her at ease. Chemotherapy was the next option. After chemotherapy, Pam’s MRI was positive and showed if anything was left, it was small. Her job going forward was to keep her immune system in tip-top shape by eating healthy and exercising.
Meditation and prayer both played a significant role in her healing process. Pam feels a connection to Mother Teresa and reflects on her life often since one of the miracles which qualified her for Sainthood was curing a person with a cancerous tumor.
The tumor-killing effects of the chemotherapy did not last as long as Pam and her family had hoped. In the spring of 2017 she underwent a craniotomy at the Mayo Clinic to remove a significant amount of the growing tumor. The surgery could not remove all the cancer, so after some time of healing it was recommended that Pam begin a strong chemotherapy regimen to kill any remaining tumor cells. "Chemotherapy the second time around and after my surgery was much harder. I felt awful during the cycles," recalls Pam. The constant love and support from family and friends helped her get through this tough time. Pam is so thankful for such a strong support network. Like her first surgery, the chemotherapy regimen was successful at removing some, but not all of the cancer.
Present time (2018)---
In the spring of 2018, Pam had her second brain surgery to remove an aggressive chemotherapy-resistant tumor in hopes of buying her more time. Although this second surgery left her with some visual and mobility deficits, her quality of life and spirits remained high. Sadly, a recent MRI has shown significant tumor growth in different areas of her brain. Pam just completed two more cycles of a chemotherapy that she's taken previously, but it has not worked to stop the cancer from growing.
For the first time, after battling cancer for more than 10 years, Pam is now running out of time and treatment options. We are very blessed and thankful for these many years together, as there are very few patients diagnosed with brain cancer that have this luxury of time. She continues to fight a tough battle and is so strong! There is one last chemotherapy Pam is trying to buy her a few extra months with friends and family. Depending on if the chemotherapy works, we have been told that she has anywhere from ~2-6 months left.
We would like to thank our friends and family for all your encouragement and support during this tough time. Although she is sleepy, Pam still loves chatting with visitors at the house, so please stop by and say hello! Give Greg a call to see if she's up for a visit — afternoons are best.
Wisdom to share & lesson's learned---
Pam learned many lessons along her cancer journey, but the three most important were: Number one, “For anyone overwhelmed by illness — pick that one person. That one person that’s a good listener, has a good memory and can absorb the information for you. My greatest support was my husband, Greg. He reminded me when to eat, take my medications and when I didn’t remember something, I knew I could rely on him.”
Number two, “Make sure you have a primary care provider. I was very healthy and did not have one. When I first left the hospital, I didn’t have an advocate for me, or someone who knew me well in the medical field, which made it much more challenging.”
And Number three, “Diversions are a must throughout this challenging time. My daughters were my number one diversion. They have been a great support, especially in a way that I still need to be a mom to them. I try to be as healthy and vibrant as I can so my daughters and family, although concerned, feel much better. Not only am I a cancer patient, but also a caregiver to my loved ones around me when it comes down to their emotions and ability to have hope for me. Diversions are important to make life as normal as possible.”
Pam feels grateful to be surrounded by wonderful family, friends, and coworkers. This challenging journey has been a life lesson for Pam. It has taught her how to be more supportive and a better friend to others that also may be struggling in life. From this experience, she feels very fortunate and realizes how important a good life is to healing and health.
Content updated and adapted from:
https://www.centracare.com/services/cancer/patient-stories/brain-cancer-pam/ 
