Xic shock syndrome!”

a medically induced coma. “I was on life support,” Rylie opens up. “They didn’t think I’d make it.”

Rylie remained in a coma for nearly two weeks. During that time, she had multiple surgeries and doctors even feared she’d need a heart transplant. Fortunately, just when all hope was almost lost, something unexpected happened: Rylie’s body started to respond to the medication, and she slowly opened her eyes. “I saw my mom and dad’s faces,” Rylie recalls. “They were wishing for a miracle.”

“I couldn’t pick up my arms to put makeup on”

Confused as to why she was lying in a hospital bed, Rylie’s doctors explained to her that she had TSS. “It was from a tampon I was using, but I wasn’t using it incorrectly,” Rylie tells us. Though it’s not entirely clear how Rylie got TSS, Rylie says it could be because she was using a high-absorbency tampon. “The doctors said sometimes when you’re taking it out, it can cut you and the bacteria can get in the cut,” she says. “That could be what happened to me.”

After about a month of recovering in the hospital, Rylie was finally well enough to go home, although her battle was not over. “I lost all of my muscle and coordination,” she says of the side effects she experienced. “I could barely put my hair up and do my makeup, which sucks because I love makeup.” She

to worked with a physical therapist

so, regain her strength — and even there are still things she cannot do. “I’m a cheerleader, and I can’t do any stunts right now,” she shares. “Hopefully, I’ll be ready by next fall.” When it comes to long-term effects, it’s her kidneys that were most harmed. “I might have to be on kidney medicine for the rest of my life,” she explains.

“I’m never using tampons again”

Nearing a full recovery, Rylie looks back on what happened as a learning experience. “I’d never heard of TSS before this,” she shares. “I’m never using tampons again.” Her hopes for sharing her story? “I want other girls to be educated and be safe,” she says. “I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”

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Wash your hands before and after tampon use so you don’t spread any bacteria. Research shows that higher absorbency tampons increase the risk of TSS. Choose the lowest absorbency possible that suits your period flow. A tampon can stay in for four to...