Merrillville resident Joy Johnson always goes in for an annual mammogram. However, in the year 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson was nervous to go. Now just over two years cancer free, Johnson is thanking her blessings that she did get her check up.
“I was really nervous to go at first, but I went and I'm really glad I did,” said Johnson. “They do the exam and you wait there for a little bit. I believe the radiologist looks at it, and then they say, ‘Everything's fine.’ However that's not what they said this particular time. I was waiting in the waiting room longer than usual.”
A nurse came out and had Johnson go back into another room for more tests. On November 16, Johnson’s birthday, she got a biopsy done. A week after her birthday it was confirmed to be breast cancer. For Johnson, the phone call sounded like how the adults of the cartoon show “The Peanuts” talked.
“I just couldn't believe it,” said Johnson. “I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was unbelievable.”
After that call, everything went quickly. Doctors, nurses, and hospitals started calling Johnson. She initially went for one lumpectomy, but the surgeons realized that it would require an additional lumpectomy. She had two lumpectomies done at Community Hospital in Munster.
“Dr. Gowri Ramadas strongly recommended that I just have a mastectomy,” said Johnson. “That was devastating for me to hear. She said, ‘I want you to go home and I want you to talk to your family.’ When I came home, I talked to my children and my mom.”
Johnson’s oldest son, Justice, told her that she should have both of the breasts removed. Her daughter Pascha also supported Johnson having the mastectomy. Under the advice of her children, she went back to Dr. Ramadas to have the surgery.
“She was shocked when I told her that my children helped me come to the decision,” said Johnson. “She agreed because, if we didn’t take both breasts, I would have to keep getting a mammogram. If that came back positive one day, then we would be going through this whole process again.”
Fortunately, Johnson had the cancer caught in time before it got to the point of needing chemotherapy. After having the surgery, Johnson was cancer free on April 20, 2021.
Johnson also then chose to have implants.
“Once they do the double mastectomy, you're flat for a period which is a whole mental thing for a woman to see yourself in that way,” said Johnson. “Once it was okay for me to have implants, I chose to have implants. Some women don't, but that's just the road I chose.”
Throughout the whole journey, Johnson had to stay strong for herself and her children. She knew they were counting on her to overcome the challenge and be there for them for the rest of their lives, yet they were among the things that helped Johnson get through all of it.
“I attribute my faith in God, my faith in Jesus, my children and my mom for my recovery,” said Johnson. “Their love and patience helped get me through it. They helped me to get through it, and I'm so grateful to them.”
Johnson would also stay positive and not allow negative stories to overtake her. She would write on her mirror or write notes to herself saying, “I am forever cancer free.” She also surrounded herself with positive, supportive people among whom were her medical team from Community Hospital and Methodist Hospitals Southlake.
“All of them were such beautiful, supportive and incredible people. They would call me because they knew it was during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Johnson. “It was like they knew I didn't have anybody to talk to, so the staff would call me and check on me.”
Johnson got over her fear of getting the mammogram, especially during the pandemic. Given how important it was that she got it, Johnson would encourage people to get checked regularly.
“I can encourage anyone to get over your fear and go get your mammogram,” said Johnson. “Don't be afraid. If you need to take some people with you to get your mammogram, do it. If I can go with you, I'll go with you.”