What a "SURVIVOR"!

Alexis Johnson

AKA Lexie or Yaya

16 years old

Poway High School

Osteo Sarcoma…how it began:
 

Alexis is a very active and vibrant young woman who had been looking forward to playing competitive softball for Poway High School for many years.  After a severe ankle injury (shattered and reconstructed with 9 screws and a metal plate) in July 2006 and a subsequent surgery to remove the metal hardware in April 2007, she was finally able to start training for spring softball about 6 months later.  Off and on, Lexie felt pain in her right knee, the same leg that had the broken ankle, and thought that it was a result of the invasive surgery that had been done. 
 
However, because she is such a strong person and a competitive athlete, she pushed forward and focused on try-outs for Poway High Softball.  In February 2008, she made the Junior Varsity team.  But as workouts increased and games began, the discomfort and pain was getting worse.  The week of March 17th Lexie complained almost every day of ”knee pain“. 

She tried ibuprofen to relieve the discomfort and ice packs at night to help her sleep, all to no avail.  By that Friday, she was in so much pain that sitting at her desk in school brought her to tears. Then on Easter Sunday, we noticed some swelling on the outside of the knee.  By Monday morning, there was even more swelling.  Mom took her to urgent care, which was the beginning of this extremely unfortunate journey. 

”View photos of Lexie“