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When James Lennon arrived at St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital (SLCH) for a scheduled gall bladder operation, he anticipated a quick surgery that would finally rid him of the discomfort he’d been experiencing. Little did he know that, thanks to the focused efforts of the SLCH team, it would be the start of a second chance at life.
When he awoke from his surgery, James was yearning for a cup of coffee and a walk outside — a typical morning routine for the Cornwall resident. But within seconds of asking his nurse, Dameris Petrillo, RN, BSN, to get him the coffee, his eyes rolled back and he stopped breathing. The team quickly kicked into gear and began cardio pulmonary resuscitation.
It’s what happened to James over the next 55 minutes that was nothing short of miraculous. He was revived and rushed just one floor below to SLCH’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab, where he was diagnosed to have a 98 percent occlusion of the right coronary artery. Swiftly and skillfully, the team stented and revascularized James. In that instant, he got a second chance at life.
After a short stay in the Intensive Care Unit, James was ready to head home — only this time with a new outlook. He has since quit smoking, a change he had wanted to make for quite some time.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the nurses, the doctors; the entire team was just wonderful,” says James. “I was lucky to have the right doctors and the right nurses at the right hospital. They saved my life.”
St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital is “With You for Life.” Hear more patients’ stories by visiting www.stlukescornwallhospital.org/patientstories.
St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital (SLCH) is a not-for-profit healthcare system committed to serving the needs of those in the Hudson Valley. With dedicated staff, modern facilities and high-quality care, SLCH provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services to the community. SLCH is a Level III Trauma Center and operates one of the busiest Emergency Departments between New York City and Albany, with just under 5,000 visits per month at the hospital’s Newburgh campus.
In 2014, SLCH became the only hospital in New York State to achieve the Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award for four years running. SLCH was also named one of the Top Hospitals in NYS by U.S. News & World Report. As healthcare delivery continues to change, SLCH is focused on the Triple Aim: learning to work more efficiently, better coordinating services among providers, and delivering safe, high-quality care within the walls of the hospital and out in the community.
St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital
www.stlukescornwallhospital.org
www.facebook.com/stlukescornwallhospital
Newburgh Campus
70 DuBois St.
Newburgh, NY
845-561-4400
Cornwall Campus
19 Laurel Ave.
Cornwall, NY
845-534-7711
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