Medical Update for Arne: March 19, 2026

Mar 20, 2026

It has been a little over a month since my last update. So far, the Gem/Abraxane chemo is being tolerated well. Since the last major update, Arne had another ascites drain on Feb 26, though it only drained 200ml. His legs also started swelling recently, but after having everything checked out, it appears to be a combination of his various complications—the vein thrombosis, ascites, and the growth of the cancer.

Procedures & Symptom Management

Arne is scheduled for a paracentesis to drain his ascites tomorrow. The pressure in his belly has become very uncomfortable, affecting his breathing and tiring him out. It is crucial that we drain the fluid to avoid the risk of infection.

For someone who never batted an eye at needles, injections, or blood draws—he was a regular blood donor—he is getting quite tired. His veins have been brutally assaulted through all of this and don't seem to have the time to heal with a minimum of weekly blood draws. My heart goes out to him; he is so strong, not just for himself, but for the family, never letting us see his pain. It pains me to see him fighting so hard; I wish I could take the burden off his shoulders and carry the pain for him, just to give him some breather.

Lab Results & Encouraging News

Last week, we saw our oncologist, Dr. Al-Saheli. There was some concern as Arne's hemoglobin had dropped to 7.7 (a transfusion is required for anything below 7.0 for a cancer patient). After follow-up tests, it rose to 8.8 before settling at 8.5 a couple of days later.

The most encouraging news is that his CA19-9 tumor marker has dropped to 1952—the lowest it has ever been since his initial diagnosis. While we don’t know exactly what that signifies yet, we are holding onto this as a positive sign!

Planning for the Next Steps

Our next CT scan is scheduled for April 8. This will be the definitive point where we can tell if the Gem/Abraxane is truly working. After that scan, we will have a follow-up with our oncologist as well as Dr. Santi from Barcelona to review the results. While the overall diagnosis remains difficult, we are focused on the blessings that could easily go unnoticed. Dr. Al-Saheli mentioned that Arne is doing much better than most people in his position, and we attribute that entirely to the prayers from all of you.

Unlike many pancreatic cancer patients who may only have two lines of chemo available, Arne has several mutations that provide more options. Testing for the HER2+ mutation shows he is preliminarily eligible for Enhertu. Dr. Al-Saheli is already getting all the "ducks in a row"—including an echocardiogram tomorrow—which will provide the necessary information to confirm his eligibility. This way, if the CT scan shows we need to switch treatments, we can make an immediate decision without delay.

Clinical Trials & Insurance

We are also tracking several clinical trials at the University of Michigan for KRAS G12D-mutant solid tumors. Arne is currently on a waitlist with the oncologist running these trials. The challenge is that he must exhaust the Gem/Abraxane first, and a spot must be open at that exact moment.

Unfortunately, with the current disagreement between the University of Michigan and our insurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield, we can only hope that they come to an agreement by the time we may need to go there for a trial. It is all about the timing. We trust that in God’s time, if it is His will, everything will fall into place just as it did for our trip to Barcelona.

A Note of Thanks

Other than being tired, Arne remains a strong fighter. We could not do this without your prayers, the masses offered, and your continued support. We are so grateful for friends who are constantly his rock—those who reach out and those who continue to silently offer prayers. We know it is just as difficult for friends and family who do not know what to say. Just keep praying. God knows our hearts.

We do not say this lightly—every prayer lifted up provides the strength that carries us through. God hears every prayer. Please pray for him and keep them coming!

Attached is a photo of Arne at the infusion center (had to remove a person in the background.)

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