COEUR d’ALENE — Deanna Goodlander is back at home, a little tired, but better than ever, she said.

The 13-year Coeur d’Alene City Councilwoman suffered a heart attack on her son’s birthday, July 7, but was released from Kootenai Medical Center on Wednesday.

“I’m back at home just recuperating,” Goodlander said Thursday. “And the doctor hasn’t given me any restrictions.”

Goodlander was cleaning her house last week preparing for a party when she noticed her hands began to ache. She thought it was odd, but felt fine otherwise.

She called her daughter, Kelli Callihan, to help her clean, and when she arrived, Goodlander had her daughter drive her to KMC as a precautionary measure.

As they were entering the emergency room, the councilwoman suffered a heart attack that doctors said later was from a clogged artery. Her heart stopped five separate times, and the doctors revived her each time. Goodlander eventually regained consciousness two hours later in the Intensive Care Unit.

“I owe so much thanks to the amazing help at KMC,” Goodlander said, calling the hospital one of the best in nation. “I can’t say enough about them. Those people treat you like you’re gold. When you’re in there, they’re excellent, they’re pleasant, they’re kind. You feel safe.”

Doctors placed a stent in a clogged artery, and said her health will be better than before, she said. Goodlander, 72, had cleared her annual checkup last February without the problem detected. She had been having trouble breathing at times, but thought it had been the increased pollen inflaming her asthma.

Her next step is regaining all of her strength, and getting back to her council duties. She said she would wait and see how she felt before deciding to attend Tuesday’s council meeting.

“I feel pretty comfortable, and mentally I feel OK,” she said. “And if I wasn’t, if I felt incapacitated, I’d talk to the mayor about it.”

“I’m getting better everyday,” she said. “I think there are still some things for me to do.”