THUNDER BAY — Councillor-at-large Rebecca Johnson is recovering from surgery following an accident at her family camp at Upsala which she believes she was fortunate to survive.
On July 13, Johnson was sweeping debris from a deck when she inadvertently stepped over the edge, falling into the space between the deck and the top step of the stairs.
"I ripped off one-third of the inside of my left leg and damaged the outside of the leg,...I could have died because I lost so much blood" she told Tbnewswatch in an interview Monday.
Johnson's son used his belt as a tourniquet to reduce the blood loss while her daughter-in-law wrapped her leg in towels.
Superior North EMS paramedics stabilized her until she could be airlifted to Thunder Bay hospital where skin from another part of her leg was grafted over the wound.
Johnson has missed a few council meetings since the accident but hopes to regain enough mobility to be able to attend meetings again by mid-September.
However, she expects her other activities in the community will be limited as she continues her recovery into the fall.
Johnson said her experience has taught her a lot about health care.
"The care was extremely well done, from the EMS to the air ambulance to the hospital. It was an exercise of learning for me as to what occurs. I felt I had good care and that people were very concerned about making sure my serious injury was well looked after."
Johnson has served on city council since 2003.
