In life, solving a problem is much more complicated than simply knowing the answer. Sometimes we are completely lost and don’t know the solution, and sometimes we know exactly what we need, but we just can’t find it. Sarah Johnson (Accounting Group, Indianapolis Design Center) understands this pain and the emotions produced by physical struggles.

Almost 20 years after first recognizing her symptoms as an undergrad student at Ball State, Sarah was diagnosed with superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS). This meant that part of her small intestine was being compressed and restricting her nutrient flow. She now understood why, for two decades, she hadn’t been able to process certain foods and was consistently getting sick. After so many unsuccessful doctor appointments, Sarah finally knew the answer to the question she had been asking her entire adult life. She had identified a life-threatening medical condition; however, this was only the beginning to a whole new problem for Sarah.

As SMAS is a more recent discovery and is quite rare, you can imagine it wasn’t easy for Sarah to find a doctor qualified and willing to operate on her condition. Multiple trips to Chicago and various doctor visits resulted in contradicting diagnosis and/or multiple rejections to operate on her rare condition. Sarah was convinced she was going to lose her battle. She knew she needed a doctor who had worked with SMAS before but could not find one who would give her the help she needed. Until one day, she found a doctor at Community North in Indianapolis who had the right experience. After a long consideration of the dangerous operation, Sarah and her family decided to undergo the surgery in the fall of 2019.

While today, Sarah is not 100% free of the challenges of SMAS, her surgery has helped improve her health tremendously, and her condition is no longer life threatening. After her surgery and following a long and difficult recovery, Sarah was inclined to share the physical and spiritual journey she has made through her 24-year battle. Join us in supporting Sarah and letting her know the American Structurepoint team are her cheerleaders in her continual fight with SMAS!  Her story can be purchased on Amazon and is titled, The Devil Inside Me: Finding Jesus In a Life of Struggle. Also involved with this accomplishment and from the American Structurepoint team is Jordan Barker (Marketing Services Group, Indianapolis Design Center) who illustrated the cover of Sarah’s book. Congratulations to you both, it is a truly remarkable and inspirational story!