Clayton woman donates kidney to co-worker’s son [Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.]

Dec. 30--CLAYTON -- In a time of year best known for giving, a Clayton bank employee gave of herself to aid the son of a friend and longtime co-worker.

Rita J. Walldroff, a manager at Community Bank, gave up one of her kidneys to 17-year-old Tyler J. Reome, son of Yvette C. Reome, who had worked with Mrs. Walldroff at the bank for about 25 years.

Mr. Reome, a senior at Thousand Islands High School, faced kidney failure when he was 13, in December 2007, the result of a birth defect that left his kidneys too small. As he grew, his kidneys proved unable to handle the added workload. His first dialysis treatment started on his 14th birthday.

In addition to having to be attached to a dialysis machine for 10 hours at a time, his ability to be active was limited.

"It definitely hasn't been the easiest thing," Mr. Reome said.

Even though the Reome family had medical insurance, the family incurred big costs in insurance copays and traveling to and from Syracuse.

Mrs. Reome said knowing her son was sick was stressful.

"Having a sick child ... it's something you can't explain unless you have it," she said. "It's with you all of the time."

Mrs. Reome said her family had been trying for years to find a donor for their son, but going through family members, doctors found health issues with each potential donor.

"Anybody that was eligible, we went through them," Mrs. Reome said. "For one reason or another, it couldn't be done."

The family's fifth potential donor, Mrs. Reome's sister, showed a lot of promise and even lost weight to prepare for a transplant. However, a late test halted the transplant: Her urine had too much protein.

"The simplest thing could mean 'no good,'" Mrs. Reome said. "Everything has to fall in line."

Mr. Reome called it a "big waiting game."

"Every time somebody was testing, that's all it was," he said.

Mrs. Walldroff started being tested around February, as it became clear Mrs. Reome's sister couldn't be the donor. Though she had informed Mrs. Reome of her interest in helping, Mrs. Walldroff came to her co-worker again to let her know she was being tested to see if she could be a match. She described the decision as one that took a lot of thought and was made with the support of her husband.

"It wasn't like I woke up one morning and said, 'I'll donate a kidney,'" Mrs. Walldroff said. She said the testing was extensive.

"You get one test, you wait for the results," Mrs. Walldroff said. "You want them to be very thorough."

After months of testing, a final determination was made at the end of October: Mrs. Walldroff was a match, and a transplant could be done. Surgery would take place Nov. 29 at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.

Less than a week before undergoing the surgery, Mrs. Walldroff was confident in her decision.

"It's something I'm now ready to do," she said. "It's a meant-to-be type thing."

The transplant operation went on without a hitch.

"To finally get it done after four years, I was excited to know it was done and over," Mr. Reome said. Mrs. Reome said she felt a sense of relief right in the hospital.

"This was the start of a new life for him," she said.

Since the surgery, both donor and recipient have been recovering strongly. Mr. Reome said his kidney function has improved to "pretty close to where it needs to be already."

"I'm feeling great," he said.

Mrs. Walldroff said she has been getting stronger every day since surgery.

"It's good news all the way around," she said.

Though the surgery was successful, Mr. Reome has a little bit of recovery time left. With a weakened immune system, he has to wear a surgical mask while out in public. He also will be out of school until February to ensure he is fully healthy. The sensitivity of his kidney area means he won't be able to play contact sports. He will have to wait about a year to do one of his favorite hobbies, four-wheeling.

However, Ms. Reome said, her son was raring to go to enjoy life without kidney treatment.

"This is such freedom, especially for a 17-year-old," she said.

Mr. Reome said he is thinking about going to Jefferson Community College, Watertown, after he graduates from high school.

He said he was grateful to Mrs. Walldroff for what she had done for him.

"I can't say enough about her," Mr. Reome said. "You can't say thank you enough ... for pretty much giving you life. This is the best Christmas present I could've asked for."

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