Fighting the fight

Shawna O'Neill
Fighting the fight

CORNWALL, Ontario – Over the last seven years, Carol Johnston’s strength has been proven immensely. After numerous surgeries and chemotherapy treatments, she has been in remission since 2016 and on the road to recovery since her last surgery in 2017.

Johnston survived a motor vehicle accident, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and illness caused by breast implants.

 

Each challenge appeared along her journey starting in 2011 when a car failed to stop at a stop sign, colliding into her and her husband on their motorcycle. Thrown 20 ft. in the air, Johnston was lucky to survive.

 

Due to mobility issues caused by the accident, Johnston was forced to shut down her cleaning business. She wanted to remain productive, so she attended college in Ottawa to become a lab technician. With her newfound medical knowledge, Johnston recognized during her practical placement that she was becoming acutely ill.

 

In November of 2014, Johnston was diagnosed with an aggressive stage two, triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma. She underwent six chemotherapy treatments after a single mastectomy.

 

During a  prophylactic ovary and breast removal surgery in 2015, cancer was found in the Johnston’s right ovary. Doctor’s encouraged her to take six more rounds of chemotherapy, but she believed she wouldn’t survive as her blood levels indicated poor liver and kidney functions.

 

“Sick, I was so so sick,” said Johnston.

 

After finishing her fourth treatment of her second round, Johnston successfully rang the chemotherapy ward bell of completion. She vividly remembers the moment of triumph to this day.

 

Johnston watched her sister fight and pass away from breast cancer in 2001. She knew she needed to approach everything with a positive attitude to be successful.

 

“I am no longer scared of dying. I live every day to the fullest,” she said.

 

Although fear was present at the beginning, the love and support from family and friends pushed Johnston to face her fears. If she were ever panicking, her husband would comfort her and joke, ‘Don’t worry, you’re safe; I put a force field around the room.’

 

“It was difficult to put on that happy face so people wouldn’t worry about me,” said Johnston.

 

“No matter how difficult things were, we just pushed through,” she added.

 

During her first round of chemotherapy, Johnston held a party in which 25 of her friends, family members and neighbours shaved their heads in her honour. Her mother even shaved her head twice, during both rounds.

 

“It was really nice to have that support. It was very touching. I get chocked up…” said Johnston.

 

Unfortunately, Johnston’s challenges didn’t stop when chemotherapy ended. The hardest part of her journey was struggling with illness caused by breast implants.

 

Johnston was offered implants by the team of doctors in Ottawa who performed her surgeries, but she began to feel an extensive number of autoimmune symptoms following her second implant in 2015, including burning, inexplicable pain, memory loss and extreme fatigue, only to name a few. She had never felt worse.

 

“I wasn’t completely informed about the risks (with implants) so I wasn’t able to make a fully informed decision,” said Johnston.

Due to various circumstances, approximately 20 plastic surgeons in Canada told Johnston they would not perform a complete capsulectomy on her. With failing health, Johnston made the decision to venture to Costa Rica in 2017 to receive the implant removal surgery she desperately needed, from a world-renowned surgeon. Johnston felt better within days, but unfortunately suffered an infection following the surgery.

 

Now, Johnston is running, eating healthy and sharing her story. She is proud to be working again and recently started a job at the Cornwall Community Hospital (CCH). She is using her social media to advocate for breast implant illness awareness and encourages survivors to make informed decisions about implants.

 

She encourages individuals with similar stories regarding implants to visit the following links:

 

 

https://healingbreastimplantillness.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Healingbreastimplantillness/

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/553040228225793/

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