919 | STUDENT In high school, Johnson has made All Conference every year since 7th Grade – and the past two years, she also won Most Outstanding Athlete. Aside from swimming, Johnson participates in Operation Christmas Carol in 9th grade at Grace Christian School – and her family participates in Operation Christmas Child in Boone sorting boxes during the holidays. Just as things were coming together in the pool two years ago, Johnson experienced an issue at a meet. “I started feeling really bad and passing out. I ended up in the intensive care unit at UNC for a week. I couldn’t get out of the bed,” she said. “At one point they were talking with my parents about airlifting me to Vanderbilt Hospital. They had diagnosed me with P.O.T.S. (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome).”
‘At the end of the summer, I cried because I didn’t want to quit swimming.’ ANASTASIA JOHNSON Student
Johnson finally recovered enough to go home, but was still very sick and weak – and in a wheelchair. “I started back to school, but could only make it for a class or two. Going to school in 7th Grade in a wheelchair is not exactly enjoyable.” Her mom then started doing research. She found a P.O.T.S. facility at Mayo Clinic and got her daughter an appointment. “Everyday I had debilitating headaches, chest pains, palpitations, stomach pains, nausea, hot flashes, and fatigue,” she said. “I just wanted to feel better.” Going to Mayo her first time was horrible, Johnson said. “They had me come off of all of my medicines for 10 days and then fly up there,” she said. “I was so sick and miserable.“ Still, Johnson feels Mayo is one of the most amazing places in the world. “It is beautiful and so peaceful,” she said. “You look around and see some of the
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919 Magazine
SUMMER 2017
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