By Emma Avila, epackard1@iuhealth.org, writer for IU Health’s Indianapolis Suburban Region

Harold Leininger II, a retired pastor, underwent cardiac rehabilitation at IU Health West following a second heart surgery, appreciating the team’s personalized care.

As a retired pastor, Harold Leininger II doesn’t know a stranger. He greets everyone he meets with kind words and a friendly smile. At the age of 88, he hasn’t slowed down much. However, that changed when his heart started having problems.

Leininger is no stranger to IU Health West’s Cardiac Rehabilitation. Ten years ago, he completed the program after he had open heart surgery. Now, he’s back for a second time after another surgery in late 2023 to put in an artificial aortic valve.

“They said my valve was slowly closing,” he explains.

Both surgeries were performed at IU Health Methodist, but since Leininger is a Brownsburg resident, he chose to complete Cardiac Rehab (Link to service) at IU Health West since it’s closer to home.

Cardiac Rehab is a structured inpatient and outpatient program designed to help patients recover from cardiac events or procedures. The program consists of supervised exercise and cardiac specific education.

“We have a strong team, a multi-disciplinary team,” says Aaron Wright, exercise physiologist. “We all wear the same hat, but we offer different skills.”

The team consists of exercise physiologists, a registered nurse and a respiratory therapist.

Wright has been at IU Health West since 2010 and on the Cardiac Rehab team since 2012. He was on the team when Leininger first started the program 10 years ago.

These people have been wonderful to me,” Leininger says. “Each person here is unique.”

Leininger graduated from the program in late December, but he still comes to the gym for maintenance exercise. This is meant to keep his heart strong and healthy. The Cardiac Rehab team is also on standby in case they are needed.

“We’re another set of eyes for the physicians and nurse practitioners,” Wright explains.

For Harold, he developed a relationship with the team, the original members from 10 years ago as well as the people who have joined since.

“They care for each patient individually,” he says. “That’s what moved me.”

At IU Health Bloomington, teams are dedicated to positively impacting patients’ lives by combining high-quality patient care and leading-edge technology.

One way Bloomington neurosurgeons Jason Voorhies, MD, and Bryan Wohlfeld, MD, are revolutionizing their patient care is with a state-of-the-art augmented reality tool that allows them to perform minimally invasive surgeries with exceptional precision.

“I think using this augmented reality system has a lot of advantages for the patient and the surgeon,” says Wohlfeld. “The technology makes the minimally invasive surgeries very streamlined and effective. This brings me up front and center to where I need to be.”

“I’ve been very happy with the results that my patients have achieved,” says Voorhies. “I’ve had several patients who had just wonderful relief of their back pain and nerve pain, and they’re very happy.”

Learn more about this leading-edge technology in the video above.

Shelly Bloom is an exercise physiologist with Methodist Hospital’s cardiac rehab program. “When I meet patients they’re usually still inpatient. A lot of times they’re pretty weak, they’re nervous, they’re scared. They don’t really know or understand their diagnosis. Then [after they start cardiac rehab], just seeing them get more confident in themselves and be surprised by what they can do and then they leave here and are just so thankful… that’s probably the most rewarding part.”

Every year IU Health honors a select few respiratory therapists with the nationally recognized PHIL (Pulmonary Health and Illnesses of the Lung) award. Congratulations to this year’s Methodist Hospital recipient, John McLouth! “He is a great teacher and his positive attitude is a joy to be around.”

By Emma Avila, epackard1@iuhealth.org, writer for IU Health’s Indianapolis Suburban Region

After surviving cardiac arrest, Rhonda Compton expresses heartfelt gratitude as she reconnects with the lifesaving teams at IU Health Saxony and the Fishers Fire Department, highlighting the importance of teamwork and early CPR in her recovery.

Moments before she walked in the Emergency department at IU Health Saxony, Rhonda Compton’s stomach was in knots. The last time she had been there, she was unconscious. This would be the first time she would meet the team that saved her life.

A terrifying experience

Just a few days earlier, Rhonda and her husband, Doug, were eating lunch at a restaurant in Fishers when she went into cardiac arrest.

“She made a deep cough and her head fell over,” Doug says. “Me and one of the customers got her to the floor. I started giving her mouth to mouth and one of the employees was doing compressions.”

Another person inside the restaurant called 911. Fishers Fire Department emergency medical services (EMS) arrived within minutes.

“Next thing I saw was a boot right beside me and he said, ‘I’m taking over,’” Doug recalls.

The EMS crew transported an unconscious Rhonda to IU Health Saxony.

Doug as well as Rhonda’s two sons, ages 37 and 39, waited for her in the hospital’s Emergency department. When they were able to see her, she still wasn’t awake.

She eventually woke up the next day in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). She was confused and had a tube down her throat to help her breathe, which made it hard to communicate.

“She tried to mouth questions and things, but she couldn’t talk,” Doug says.

“I’m still trying to process it all,” Rhonda adds. “I don’t know what happened.”

Tests showed Rhonda needed a pacemaker, which was put in during her time at the hospital. She also sustained cracked ribs from chest compressions during CPR.

After a couple of days in the ICU, Rhonda was moved to the Medical-Surgical unit to begin her road to recovery. Clinical team members helped ease her pain and provided directions on best practices as she recovered from surgery and the cracked ribs.

During her stay, Rhonda and Doug made connections with several hospital team members.

“The team is just wonderful. Everyone who has taken care of us is just wonderful,” Doug says with tears in his eyes.

For Rhonda, she remembers some of the people who took care of her, but she has no memory of what happened before she woke up in the ICU.

“I don’t know if I’m trying to block it out,” she says. “I’m sure one day it will come to me.”

Returning with gratitude

Because she didn’t remember many of the people who cared for her, Rhonda returned to IU Health Saxony a week after she was discharged to meet the Emergency department team.

The Fishers Fire Department EMS crew that responded to help Rhonda when she went into cardiac arrest met her at the hospital as well.

As both teams gathered around her and Doug, Rhonda became very emotional. Through tears, she told them, “Thank you all so much. I wouldn’t be here without you.’”

While it was a big moment for the Comptons, it was impactful for the teams as well.

“It was so special for our team members and the first responders to reconnect with the patient and her family,” says Natalie Zipper, manager of clinical operations for the hospital’s Emergency department. “The teams work very hard in situations such as these to stabilize the patient so they can get to the best place to continue their care. We pour our hearts and souls into the situation and rarely know what happens to the patient after they leave our care. The visit from the family closed that loop for us. Seeing the gratitude the family had for our teams for giving them their loved one back filled our hearts and helped us to remember why we do what we do.”

After visiting the Emergency department, Rhonda and Doug went upstairs to the ICU. Though Rhonda remembers many of the ICU team members, she wanted to thank them properly.

After she expressed her gratitude, the team thanked her for returning so they could know she was healing well.

“Your story gives us purpose and hope for everyone who comes through these doors,” Tyler Corradi, general medicine service line director at IU Health Saxony, tells Rhonda.

“You’re an inspiration,” adds Jana Upton, a registered nurse in the ICU.

It takes teamwork

Multiple people, teams and departments helped save Rhonda’s life, as is the case for so many patients.

“The combination of early, effective CPR, calling 911, the emergency response with critical care and the definitive hospital treatment upon arrival at IU Health Saxony hospital is the systemic success of saving lives,” says Captain Steve Delwey, EMS Captain for the Fishers Department of Fire and Emergency Services. “We were honored to be a part of it.”

“With collaboration with our pre-hospital partners and assistance of education and awareness, we are able to have successful stories like this,” adds Kurtiss McKissick, emergency medical technician (EMT) and EMS liaison for IU Health’s Indianapolis Suburban Region. 

While EMS and hospital team members were a vital part of Rhonda’s story, Doug and the employee performing CPR was equally important.

“If someone suffers cardiac arrest at home, at work or anywhere outside of a hospital, there are two critically important steps,” says Dr. Nathan Lambert, cardiologist at IU Health Saxony. “One is to immediately summon EMS by calling 911. Once they arrive, they will take over care. The other critically important step is to pump on the patient’s chest by doing ‘hands only’ CPR, also called ‘compression only’ CPR, until EMS arrives. Doing CPR until EMS arrives triples the chance of survival and should be initiated immediately after calling 911.”

“Without early CPR, the patient survival rate drops every minute,” McKissick adds.

The road to recovery

Thankfully, Rhonda’s journey has a happy ending. She is recovering at home with Doug and their dog, Bella.

While she hopes to put this terrifying experience behind her, she will never forget the people who helped her along the way.

“Just thank you,” she says. “Thank you, thank you.”

Community Outreach and Engagement team members focus on underserved communities. Here’s one program that aims to assist new parents.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, tfender1@iuhealth.org

Behavioral Health Project Coordinator, Carrie Hesler recently spent time stuffing teddy bears into new parent bags that will be distributed into the community. Members of IU Health’s Community Health and Engagement (COE) team partnered with WeCare Indiana to customize the gifts.

WeCare is a program aimed at reducing infant mortality. According to Regenstreif Institute, Indiana’s infant mortality rate is significantly higher than the national average. One statistic reports Indiana ranks 43rd among the worst states for deaths. Among African Americans, the numbers are twice as high. Regenstreif Institute is a research organization with a mission to connect and innovate for better health. The goal of WeCare is to develop strategies to support maternal and infant health. The program works in Marion County, specifically targeting the 13 highest zip codes for infant mortality. Trained community health workers connect pregnant women and new mothers to resources addressing social determinants of health such as access to food and education opportunities. They also offer education about safe sleep practices, breastfeeding, and risk factors relating to infant mortality.

“IU Health’s Community Outreach and Engagement team has been monitoring Marion County’s greatest health needs by actively listening, partnering, and providing needed resources to community-based organizations,” said Tyrone Humphrey, COE director. “COE works to provide equitable healthcare to the underserved communities by meeting the community ‘where they are.’” Last year COE implemented more than 90 community-based health activations in collaboration with several community partners including non-profit, faith-based, and government agencies. Those efforts resulted in hypertension screenings, point of care testing (POC), COVID and Influenza vaccination clinics.

Hesler has worked with IU Health for seven years. Her interest in community health began as a child.

“At a young age my parents instilled in me the importance of service and giving back,” said Hesler. She began volunteering at Wheeler Mission, and her church and hosted food and clothing drives. “Being part of the Community Health Behavioral Health team gives me the opportunity to serve our communities, but in new ways. I want to make a difference in people’s lives.” Hesler grew up in Franklin, Ind, and attended Indiana State University where she studied Health Science and Health Administration.

Eric Reinertsen is another COE team member who helped organize the new parent gift bags. In addition to teddy bears, the 100 bags contained baby bottles, a blanket, and a mom’s journal.

A May 2023 public health graduate of Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. Reinertsen said he joined the IU Health team because the goals align with education and beliefs in improving community health outcomes.

“I believe that in order for any public health intervention to be successful, it needs to involve and empower the communities being helped,” said Reinersten. “As community health workers we get to work with patients and clients and help empower them to make positive health decisions. We also help connect community members to resources they may need like food, housing, utility assistance, and more. With those needs met, clients and patients have a foundation from which they are empowered to reach their health goals.”

Marvin Barnes’ garage holds several trophies that prove he was an expert drag racer in the 1980s. Now, after a successful heart procedure in which doctors replaced his aortic valve, Marvin is back to building dragsters that he plans to race this summer at age 65.

Amaya Crockett is a patient care resident at University Hospital. Her role has helped her gain valuable bedside experience while in nursing school. Maya is preparing to take her final nursing exams next month and doesn’t plan to go far when she’s a RN. “I’m going to stay right here on this unit. I’ve already been here for two years. I know everybody. I love caring for these patients. This is my favorite place in the hospital.”

Jacob Kleber has been on the heart transplant list for a little more than a year and while he doesn’t just sit around waiting for that call, he sure would welcome it. “I’m at peace wit where I’m at right now, but [when that call comes] I’ll be ready. I just want the best heart you can put in me so that way I can continue with what I’m doing.”