Transplant Tough: Leo & Ashley Lisowski
Donation protected
Let me tell you a story about my brother.
On November 11th 2019, Leonard was using his new snow-blower to clear the driveway of he and his wife, Ashley’s, South Milwaukee home. He started feeling very out of breath to the point where it worried him enough to take himself to an Urgent Care.
Once there, it was discovered that he had fluid in his lungs, so he was directed to report to the Emergency Room for further evaluation. They ordered an x-ray of his chest and found out that his heart was enlarged- so much so, that they immediately admitted him to Aurora St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee for additional testing and to keep him stable.
Over the next few days, it was uncovered that his heart was not functioning properly for someone his age and general good health. He was put on different medicines to help drain additional fluid from his body, and to dissolve a blood clot they had also found.
He would be sent home a few days later with five new prescriptions, a portable defibrillator Lifevest to be worn 24/7, and the diagnosis of idiopathic cardiomyopathy with advanced heart failure— all at 32 years old.
At this point, his heart was functioning at 20%. The doctors’ hopes were to preserve his current heart function and keep it from degrading further, to keep him healthy, and to continue to monitor him closely with check-ins and additional testing. We were all unsure of what the next steps would be.
Over the next two months, Leonard and Ashley did everything they could to manage and understand this terrifying and confusing diagnosis. He continued going in weekly to monitor his INR, to see his cardiologist, and for an echocardiogram.
Nothing about this diagnosis made sense to anyone. Leonard was a mostly healthy guy. He worked a physical job, and had been eating better, which helped manage his diabetes. He started going in for regular blood testing and follow-up visits, but would continue to feel worse as his heart was getting weaker. He wasn’t able to work at his job or do the things he loves, like going fishing, during these weeks.
In order to get a more in-depth look at what was going on in his heart, doctors ordered a heart catherization procedure for Monday, January 27th. While he was at St. Luke’s, the medicine they gave him in preparation for the procedure made his blood pressure drop to an extremely low level, which moved him to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. They had to post-pone the heart cath procedure to later in the week, which ultimately ended up confirming what his other tests had said. In addition, it revealed that his heart function went from 20% down to 8%...
8% heart function. At 32 years old.
On Thursday, January 30th, Ashley, myself, and my mom were visiting with Leonard in the afternoon when his Advanced Heart Failure doctor came in to talk to us. He confirmed what had been cautiously brought up from the very beginning as an ultimate option for someone with his condition—
Heart transplant surgery. Leonard needs a new heart… soon. Now. It’s going to save his life.
His heart function has degraded so much, so quickly, that it’s the most sustainable option for him to have the best life possible going forward. While at some point during this process, there were talks of pumps and other devices to help manage his condition, they just wouldn’t do enough, for long enough, and let him be able to lead the most active life possible.
As shocked as we all were to hear this news, we knew it would be coming. We just thought it would be years and years down the road… not two months after him going into Urgent Care with shortness of breath.
We all cried and hugged each other. We had our moment to fall apart.
But now it’s time to be strong— Lisowski Strong. Heart Warriors. Transplant Tough.
In order to move him higher up on the Transplant list, the doctors have decided to implant a balloon-device in his body. This will keep his heart pumping and working as strongly as possible in its current state, and will stay in place as a temporary fix until a new heart is found. This is going to happen early February, and once it’s in and all goes well, he will be officially moved to Stage 2, and will hopefully get a donor’s heart in the next few weeks. In the meantime, he is not going to be leaving the CICU.
Leonard and Ashley have a long and winding road ahead of them for the next six months to a year. They are going to continue to need all of our support, in a multitude of ways. Leonard was used to working a full-time physical job, and has had to stop working since his heart problem was uncovered. Ashley’s job has been accommodating so far, but she will need to be available more as time goes on to help Leonard through the healing process. They will be navigating through a maze of financial and emotional hurdles as they learn to live their new normal.
As family and friends, we want to do all we can to help these two. And we will.
I’m asking for your help for my amazing big brother and his incredible wife. Whether this means your time, your talents, or treasure. (That’s money, people). They are going to need us, and we are going to rally together to get them through this.
My ask? Give what you can, and reach out to me to find out what else you can do to help these two, outside of donating on this page. Share his story.
Leonard’s ridiculous sense of humor has not wavered throughout this entire process. It’s what’s keeping him going. This, and more importantly, the constant and loving support of his wonderful wife Ashley, who has been nothing short of an angel to him during this confusing, stressful, and uncertain time. She has not left his side and never will.
We got this. We love you, Leonard & Ashley.
Lisowski Strong. Heart Warriors. Transplant Tough.
Love, Sarah
On November 11th 2019, Leonard was using his new snow-blower to clear the driveway of he and his wife, Ashley’s, South Milwaukee home. He started feeling very out of breath to the point where it worried him enough to take himself to an Urgent Care.
Once there, it was discovered that he had fluid in his lungs, so he was directed to report to the Emergency Room for further evaluation. They ordered an x-ray of his chest and found out that his heart was enlarged- so much so, that they immediately admitted him to Aurora St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee for additional testing and to keep him stable.
Over the next few days, it was uncovered that his heart was not functioning properly for someone his age and general good health. He was put on different medicines to help drain additional fluid from his body, and to dissolve a blood clot they had also found.
He would be sent home a few days later with five new prescriptions, a portable defibrillator Lifevest to be worn 24/7, and the diagnosis of idiopathic cardiomyopathy with advanced heart failure— all at 32 years old.
At this point, his heart was functioning at 20%. The doctors’ hopes were to preserve his current heart function and keep it from degrading further, to keep him healthy, and to continue to monitor him closely with check-ins and additional testing. We were all unsure of what the next steps would be.
Over the next two months, Leonard and Ashley did everything they could to manage and understand this terrifying and confusing diagnosis. He continued going in weekly to monitor his INR, to see his cardiologist, and for an echocardiogram.
Nothing about this diagnosis made sense to anyone. Leonard was a mostly healthy guy. He worked a physical job, and had been eating better, which helped manage his diabetes. He started going in for regular blood testing and follow-up visits, but would continue to feel worse as his heart was getting weaker. He wasn’t able to work at his job or do the things he loves, like going fishing, during these weeks.
In order to get a more in-depth look at what was going on in his heart, doctors ordered a heart catherization procedure for Monday, January 27th. While he was at St. Luke’s, the medicine they gave him in preparation for the procedure made his blood pressure drop to an extremely low level, which moved him to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. They had to post-pone the heart cath procedure to later in the week, which ultimately ended up confirming what his other tests had said. In addition, it revealed that his heart function went from 20% down to 8%...
8% heart function. At 32 years old.
On Thursday, January 30th, Ashley, myself, and my mom were visiting with Leonard in the afternoon when his Advanced Heart Failure doctor came in to talk to us. He confirmed what had been cautiously brought up from the very beginning as an ultimate option for someone with his condition—
Heart transplant surgery. Leonard needs a new heart… soon. Now. It’s going to save his life.
His heart function has degraded so much, so quickly, that it’s the most sustainable option for him to have the best life possible going forward. While at some point during this process, there were talks of pumps and other devices to help manage his condition, they just wouldn’t do enough, for long enough, and let him be able to lead the most active life possible.
As shocked as we all were to hear this news, we knew it would be coming. We just thought it would be years and years down the road… not two months after him going into Urgent Care with shortness of breath.
We all cried and hugged each other. We had our moment to fall apart.
But now it’s time to be strong— Lisowski Strong. Heart Warriors. Transplant Tough.
In order to move him higher up on the Transplant list, the doctors have decided to implant a balloon-device in his body. This will keep his heart pumping and working as strongly as possible in its current state, and will stay in place as a temporary fix until a new heart is found. This is going to happen early February, and once it’s in and all goes well, he will be officially moved to Stage 2, and will hopefully get a donor’s heart in the next few weeks. In the meantime, he is not going to be leaving the CICU.
Leonard and Ashley have a long and winding road ahead of them for the next six months to a year. They are going to continue to need all of our support, in a multitude of ways. Leonard was used to working a full-time physical job, and has had to stop working since his heart problem was uncovered. Ashley’s job has been accommodating so far, but she will need to be available more as time goes on to help Leonard through the healing process. They will be navigating through a maze of financial and emotional hurdles as they learn to live their new normal.
As family and friends, we want to do all we can to help these two. And we will.
I’m asking for your help for my amazing big brother and his incredible wife. Whether this means your time, your talents, or treasure. (That’s money, people). They are going to need us, and we are going to rally together to get them through this.
My ask? Give what you can, and reach out to me to find out what else you can do to help these two, outside of donating on this page. Share his story.
Leonard’s ridiculous sense of humor has not wavered throughout this entire process. It’s what’s keeping him going. This, and more importantly, the constant and loving support of his wonderful wife Ashley, who has been nothing short of an angel to him during this confusing, stressful, and uncertain time. She has not left his side and never will.
We got this. We love you, Leonard & Ashley.
Lisowski Strong. Heart Warriors. Transplant Tough.
Love, Sarah
Organizer and beneficiary
Sarah Gall
Organizer
Milwaukee, WI
Ashley Lisowski
Beneficiary