Giving a Priceless Gift

By Sara Konrad
Fort Dodge Messenger

WEBSTER CITY — As families gather today and open presents, Paul Christensen knows he’s already received the best gift — a new kidney from a lifelong friend.

Christensen, 34, was born with polycystic kidney disease, a condition he inherited from his mother. Even at a young age, he knew what it was and that it would eventually lead to dialysis or a kidney transplant.

‘‘My mom’s problems didn’t start until she was in her late 40s,’’ said Christensen. ‘‘I thought I had a little more time.’’

But in August, Christensen and his wife, Diane, found out Paul’s kidneys were giving out and he would need a transplant within the year, or he would face dialysis.

Polycystic kidney disease is characterized by growth of numerous fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys. Eventually, the cysts can replace kidney mass and lead to kidney failure, something Paul Christensen was facing.

As soon as they received the news, Diane Christensen sent out an e-mail message to friends and family, informing them of the situation and offering information about how to sign up to be a potential donor.

‘‘In the first two days we got 20 responses from people who wanted to be tested to donate a kidney,’’ said Paul Christensen, who lives in Bondurant.

One of the recipients of that message was Alan Behnkendorf, of Webster City. Paul Christensen and Behnkendorf met as kindergartners in Algona. Through the years the two men had remained friends, meeting often to go fishing.

‘‘As soon as I got the e-mail from Diane, I called to sign up to be a potential donor,’’ said Behnkendorf.

Paul Christensen’s brother and sister were ruled out as donors right away because they had different blood types. Behnkendorf was the next volunteer tested, and the results came back that he would be an ideal donor.

Behnkendorf said he took time to speak with his family, including his 6-year-old son, Gage. After consultation with physicians and family, he decided to go ahead with the donation.

‘‘In my gut I could feel that Paul would have done the same thing for me if the tables were turned,’’ said Behnkendorf. ‘‘There was never a moment when I didn’t want to do it.’’

Behnkendorf said he and Paul Christensen used their fishing trips to talk about the transplant.

‘‘We could go out there and sit in the boat together and talk about it occasionally,’’ Behnkendorf said.

Weeks later, on Nov. 29, after extensive tests and consultations, the two men checked into Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines for a surgery that would link lives forever.

Family members of the two men waited patiently at the hospital for four hours while physicians took a healthy kidney from Behnkendorf and put it in Paul Christensen.

‘‘The doctors had told me that it could take a few weeks for the new kidney to start working,’’ said Paul Christensen. ‘‘But they said when they got it in there it started producing urine almost right away.’’

The friends emerged from surgery, Paul with a 7-inch incision and Alan with a 2-inch one. On the same floor, it didn’t take them long to visit one another.

‘‘The doctors had us up and walking around that same day,’’ said Behnkendorf. ‘‘We were close, so I stopped by to see how he was doing.’’

Behnkendorf said Diane Christensen was so moved by his gesture that every time she walked in his room, she would get tears in her eyes.

‘‘I don’t know how we can ever thank him for what he did,’’ said Diane Christensen.

Nearly four weeks after going under the knife, both men say they’re feeling great.

‘‘My quality of life is dramatically different,’’ said Paul Christensen. ‘‘Before the surgery I had a lack of energy and a lot of nausea and leg cramps. Now that I’m better I realize exactly how bad I was feeling.’’

Paul Christensen will have to take anti-rejection medication for the rest of his life, but he said his doctors are pleased with his progress. Also, Christensen said, doctors left his two kidneys in, rather than take them out, which would have created the potential for more complications. As a result, Christensen said, he’ll have to watch out for infection.

Behnkendorf said he’s also feeling fine. He’s restricted on heavy lifting, but for the most part his life is back to normal.

‘‘Right after the surgery I was taking pain pills, but it didn’t take long to wean myself off of those,’’ said Behnkendorf. ‘‘I also get tired pretty easily right now, but that’s going away.’’

Now that life has returned to normal, Behnkendorf said he doesn’t think of what he did as anything too out of the ordinary.

‘‘I wanted to do it for him,’’ Behnkendorf said. ‘‘And he’s not even the only friend I would have done that for. If another one had needed it, I would have done it for them.’’

Meanwhile, at the Christensen home, Paul and his family are grateful Behnkendorf’s generosity.

‘‘There aren’t really words to thank somebody for that,’’ said Paul Christensen. ‘‘He wasn’t doing it to be some kind of hero; he did it because he’s my friend.’’