Schalie Johnson

A journey of healing and resilience: Schalie Johnson's story

Since graduating with a law degree from the University of Kansas 18 years ago, Schalie Johnson dedicated her career to being a civil defense attorney. Outside of work, she enjoys a full and active lifestyle lifting weights, practicing yoga and spending time outside with her husband.

Three years ago, she and her husband decided to expand their family. After a healthy pregnancy, Johnson experienced complications during childbirth.

After enduring a grueling three-hour labor, Johnson sustained a third-degree tear in the perineum, which extended from her vaginal opening into the external anal sphincter, or the muscle around the rectum that helps to maintain continence. A week later, she developed an infection at the site of the tear, requiring it to be re-opened, cleaned and packed, which resulted in a painful wound four inches in length.

“For someone who thought there was no way I’d need six weeks to recover, needing the last three years to regain confidence at the gym has been very humbling,” Johnson said. “My body felt broken – I had a hard time walking and couldn’t pick up much weight, I felt heaviness and pain in my pelvic floor, and I couldn’t tell when or how badly I needed to go to the bathroom.”

To make matters worse, Johnson also had to contend with severe muscle spasms. The extensive nature of her wound contributed to a higher amount of scar tissue that, when combined with the trauma of delivery, resulted in pelvic floor muscle spasms. These spasms can be common and often difficult for an individual to stretch or release on their own due to their location in the pelvis.

As a result, Johnson’s passion and ability to pursue an active lifestyle was significantly hampered. Determined to return to her pre-pregnancy lifestyle, she sought support and treatment.

Johnson’s first step toward a solution was talking to her OB/GYN about pelvic floor physical therapy services available at Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Kelly Bukaty, a pelvic physical therapist played a crucial role in her healing process.

“Kelly is amazing,” Johnson said. “Through this process, you get to know your pelvic PT really well. There’s no one else I would want to walk through this experience with. She was so supportive and was able to make me smile during the most painful moments of therapy.”

After eight months of working with Kelly to first restore the mobility of the tissues with manual therapy, stretching and diaphragmatic breathing and then focusing on strengthening the core system, Johnson began reintroducing her body to the activities she loved. By the time she reached 18 months postpartum, she was able to return to hot yoga and lifting weights.

Now, at 35 months postpartum, Johnson continues to reach significant recovery milestones.

“I just had my first pain-free run this week,” she said. “I have gained confidence in lifting weights and feel more like my old self.”

For more information about pelvic floor therapy services at Overland Park Regional Medical Center, call (913) 541-5001.