After multiple heart attacks, LVAD helps a Wisconsin man reclaim his life

Jeffrey Ensweiler has very little memory of the morning that changed his life forever. A coworker found him unresponsive on the warehouse floor, immediately began CPR and called emergency services. His quick action started a chain of events that ultimately brought Ensweiler to Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee, where teams across multiple specialties worked together to save his life.

Jeffrey initially received emergency treatment at Aurora Medical Center – Summit before his condition worsened. After experiencing additional cardiac arrest events and developing severe cardiogenic shock, he was transferred to Aurora St. Luke’s for advanced heart failure care.

Over the following weeks, Ensweiler required multiple forms of mechanical circulatory support as doctors worked to stabilize his failing heart. He endured multiple strokes, respiratory failure, repeated intubations and a tracheostomy during his hospitalization. While he remained critically ill for much of that time, his wife and his sister never left his side.

Jeffrey’s wife and his sister also carefully documented each day in a journal during his hospital stay. They recorded setbacks, milestones and moments of hope while making special treats for the nurses and medical teams working with him.

“There was a box in my room of granola bars, candy bars, you name it,” Ensweiler said. “They even wrote a note that read, ‘This is for the nurses. Please take care of this guy.'”

With a laugh, he added, “I was the most popular guy on the floor.”

Later, their journal entries became Jeffrey’s window into the experience he could not remember. “The only way I know what happened is by reading that journal,” Ensweiler said. “I was amazed by everything I went through.”

A team effort from beginning to end

As Jeffrey’s condition improved, the next challenge began. Months of critical illness had left him physically weak and facing significant rehabilitation needs. He worked closely with physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, doctors, cardiac rehabilitation specialists and LVAD coordinators to regain his strength and independence.

Learning to manage daily life with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) required dedication from Ensweiler and his support system. His family participated in education sessions and training to ensure he could safely transition home. But recovery didn’t happen overnight. Ensweiler credits cardiac rehabilitation with helping him rebuild the endurance and confidence needed to return to everyday activities. He remembers struggling with tasks that once felt simple, including climbing stairs. Now, he sees a dramatic difference.

“Since rehab, they really work you out and increase it every day,” he said. “I’ve seen this huge difference. I walk the dog down the road a couple blocks, and then we’d come back, and I have no problem. I’m not out of breath or anything like that.”

Life after hospitalization

Today, Ensweiler is living independently with LVAD support while waiting for heart and kidney transplants.

He walks his dog several blocks without shortness of breath, does household chores and yard work, goes to concerts and community events with his wife and continues his cardiac rehabilitation.

The lifestyle he enjoys today is in stark contrast to the man who once woke up surrounded by machines. Looking back at a photo taken early in his hospitalization, Ensweiler remembers seeing himself connected to countless pieces of equipment.

“There was this little guy right in the middle, which was me,” he said. “I told my sister the picture was missing a red-and-white striped shirt and hat. It should have been ‘Where’s Waldo?’ because there were so many machines all around me.”

Describing his journey, Dr. Andrew Lin, his cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon, said, “Mr. Ensweiler embodies everything this program stands for. His care was the coordinated partnership of many different medical teams. VAD care requires teamwork; people dedicated to working together with excellence.”

Following his discharge, Ensweiler and his family wanted to personally thank the many caregivers who supported his recovery. His wife and sister were determined to visit every unit where he had received care.

“It took the entire day to discharge,” Ensweiler laughed. Despite his eagerness to go home, the experience helped him appreciate just how many people had played a role in his recovery.

Today, Ensweiler and his wife continue finding ways to enjoy life together. The couple has been together since sixth grade and married in 1982.

“We go to concerts. I’ve been fishing. We try to do things every night, whether it’s a local concert in the park or shopping or whatever.”

While he recognizes that his journey isn’t over, Ensweiler remains focused on the future and is grateful for every day he has been given.

“Every morning, I sit on the edge of my bed and thank God for another day,” he said.

His story serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of rapid emergency response, advanced heart failure therapies, multidisciplinary care and unwavering family support.

Most importantly, it demonstrates that even after a life-threatening cardiac event, recovery, independence and hope remain possible.

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