Father Paul Nguyen receives new kidney

By RENEE WEBB
Content and Design Coordinator

Not everyone experiences or at least realizes when they have been called in their lives. For Father Paul Nguyen, he had two life-changing calls – a call to the priesthood and a call (rather calls) to receive an organ transplant.

It was two to three years ago when Father Paul Nguyen’s kidney function began to decline and close monitoring by his nephrologist commenced.

The pastor of St. Sebastian Parish of Pocahontas and Fonda started dialysis about a year ago, and believing he could manage that treatment, opted not to pursue a transplant.

“However, it proved to be far more challenging that I expected – physically exhausting and spiritually limiting,” he wrote in an update to his parishioners. “I struggled to celebrate Mass faithfully and often felt drained, with little energy to do anything.”

Because dialysis was really “knocking” him out, by August Father Nguyen decided to pursue a transplant and underwent a month of evaluation and testing at Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. He was officially added to the transplant list on Sept. 23. 

Even though his siblings, nieces and nephews offered to be a donor for him, Father Nguyen declined and opted to wait for what usually is 18 months to over two years. He told his relatives that God would provide in his time.

Father Paul Nguyen at Pocahontas Catholic School Mass less than a week before his transplant surgery.

“I offered everything to the Lord, knowing that I could not do anything,” he said. “I prayed every day saying, ‘Lord, it’s your will, it’s not my will.’”

In the end, the kidney came much faster than usual. Father Nguyen received the call about a kidney on Oct. 5 – about two weeks after being on the list. The only problem was he didn’t have his phone on him.

“I had gone to Fonda for Mass and I left my phone in the car,” he recalled. “The nurse tried to call me six times.”

The hospital called his family in Ankeny and his sister reached a friend in Pomeroy who went to Fonda to get the word to him. Time was of the essence because if they didn’t reach him the kidney would go to the next person.

As Father Nguyen was beginning his homily on the topic of having faith, he had to stop the Mass after he was told the hospital had a kidney for him. 

“The parishioners were happy and very joyful,” he said.

Father Nguyen asked the deacon to continue with prayers and he called the Methodist Hospital to learn he had to be at the hospital by noon. After arriving at 11:50 a.m., he underwent a series of tests and surgery began at 3 p.m. 

“I woke up at 7 p.m. with a new kidney and a renewed life,” said Father Nguyen. “They put me in ICU (intensive care unit) overnight to see how the kidney was functioning and said I was good.”

The priest acknowledged that he is in somewhat of disbelief that it happened so quickly and is a bit at a loss for words.

“This is a miracle that God has done for me,” he said. “God did it in his way and I don’t have words to describe it.”

After the one night in ICU, Father Nguyen stayed a couple more nights in a regular room and then was discharged on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

“Then I went home to my parents’ home to rest and have to do labs and doctor visits three times a week,” he explained. 

His plan is to stay at his parents’ home in Ankeny during his recovery until Nov. 6 because of the frequent doctor visits. After that, he would like to go back in the parish. At present, Father Craig Collison, a retired priest of the diocese, is covering for him in the parish and at Pocahontas Catholic School.

“The bishop has asked me to rest a couple of months, but no, no that’s too long,” he quipped. “Honestly, I’ll take one day at a time and talk to my doctor to see when I can go back to my ministries.”

Because Father Nguyen had thought his wait would be much longer for a kidney, one week prior to “the call” he had a tube surgically placed in his abdomen so that he could start at home dialysis. 

“The miracle that God did for me is really something that I can’t describe – giving me new life,” he repeated. “It’s a beautiful thing when I give him everything and allow him to do the rest. God is wonderful. God is good. No matter what we face each day, God is there for me and for us.”

While his recovery is going well and his energy level is picking up daily, there are a few precautions his doctors want him to follow. For the next couple of months, he is supposed to wear a mask, avoid crowds as well as socializing with the students. 

“I cannot eat raw meat – no sushi or red meat. I have to cook well done,” said Father Nguyen, who added that he is taking more than 20 pills a day.

He thanked God that he is feeling healthy and has more of an appetite than in the past. The priest also extended gratitude to his donor who “not only saved my life but also gave the same gift to another.”

Father Nguyen noted that he had a kidney infection for a month as a child and was informed that he would most likely have kidney disease as an adult.

A native of Boone, the priest originally was a religious order priest with the Society of the Divine Word before becoming incardinated with the Diocese of Sioux City on Jan. 1, 2023.

“My new kidney is functioning beautifully, and I feel more like myself with every passing moment,” he said. “I’m excited for this new chapter and all that lies ahead.”