Shelby Thompson

my journey. <3

at the age of 12, after nearly a years worth of stomach pains and fatigue… tests results eventually came back and alarmed my gp that no, i wasn’t ‘just having growing pains.’ after being sent to the children’s hospital for a weeks worth of tests, they finally came to the conclusion that i indeed have Crohn’s Disease. all while i was just starting high school… i had the choice to either to start at my new school with a feeding tube, or only be able to consume sustagen-like drinks for 8 weeks… i powered through… eventually entering remission and only having to endure infusions every eight weeks.

inbetween then and now, a skin condition called ‘urticarial vasculitis’ developed in my blood vessels… it’s a rare extra-intestinal manifestation of CD, caused by the autoimmune disease mixed with a different flu like sickness that my body was battling at the time… adding a few more tablets a day, painful bruising and rashes on my legs that occur after standing on my feet for too long to my list…

the infusions for my crohn’s had been working had been working for me until recently when i found out i was having a flare. as confusing as that is, after feeling fine, and being in remission for four years, we’re fighting it!!! and i’m not letting the CD flare, or the Urticarial Vasculitis stop me from participating in this fundraiser… it’s so important to me to not only raise funds, but awareness for this disease, and i’m so beyond grateful that i’m well enough to be able to participate!!! ??