Rylee’s Story

If you met Rylee today, getting ready to turn 15 years old and studying daily for her drivers ed permit test, you would never know how rocky her life has been. She was born a seemingly healthy 7lb., 7oz. baby just shy of 40 weeks.

But within the first few weeks of her life, she had her first respiratory infection. By the age of 3 months, she had her first bout with bronchitis. The pattern continued and resulted in 5 hospitalizations by the time Rylee turned 4 years old.

In 2013, weeks before her 5th birthday, Rylee was diagnosed with Specific Antibody Deficiency and began IgG replacement therapy soon after. This infusion, done monthly, gives Rylee a temporary immune system. While she still gets infections, she is able to recover from them at home. It allows for less missed days of school and allows her to participate in her favorite activities.

We are so thankful to Dr. Niraj Patel and IDEA to have connected Rylee with the right treatment for her, and for connecting us with families and patients facing similar conditions. This group has shown Rylee that she is not alone in her journey! Today she is a thriving sophomore at Hough High School, participating in community theater, singing at local open mic events and just being a teenager!