80 year-old priest suffered from a heart attack after presiding over a wedding ceremony

Saturday, July 9 seemed like any ordinary day for the Rev. Joseph R. Jones.  After presiding over a wedding ceremony, the 80-year old priest at St. Ann’s Monastery in West Scranton began experiencing tightness in his chest. “I thought it was indigestion,” he said. “Then I started to sweat profusely and realized ‘This isn’t indigestion.’” Jones asked one of the parishioners to call his doctor, Michael Rogan. Dr. Rogan advised Jones to “get to GCMC. I’ll meet you in the emergency room. I think you’re having a heart attack.” And that’s precisely what happened.  Dr. Rogan immediately admitted the priest and performed a cardiac assessment. That’s when he realized he needed to call in cardio thoracic surgeon Dr. Joseph Stella, who performed quadruple bypass surgery. “Everybody knew exactly what they’re supposed to be doing, exactly what they’re trained for,” says the Rev. Jones.  “From the doctors to the nurses, therapists, blood specialists - they were all very professional and efficient. The treatment they give here is what I would call compassionate.” A month later, the Rev. Jones is in good spirits and recovering well in cardiac rehab. “Thankfully there was no incident during the wedding,” he says looking back on that Saturday in July. “Could you have imagined the bride?” #GeisingerStories