By: Diana Johnsen
djohnsen@kcautv.com
It was one day after her 50th birthday that Laurie Doughtery of Sioux City was walking up the bleachers at a high school football game when she started to feel queasy.
"I'm going to be sick. I'm going to throw up here and I did. I was sweating like crazy," she said.
Laurie, who teaches high school art at Bishop Heelan, was suffering a heart attack and was immediately taken to the hospital.
"I really haven't had any health problems to think of. I just never saw myself as someone who could possibly have a heart attack."
Some of the symptoms Laurie was experiencing get passed over in women as flu like symptoms.
Dr. Mick Hurley, Director of Cardiology at Mercy Medical Center says in women heart attack symptoms can be more than just ‘chest pain'.
"They may not have classic symptoms. They may be flu like. They may have muscle aching, maybe decreased energy. Maybe a difficulty in sleeping; all those symptoms can be warning signs," said Hurley.
Laurie, who's always looking out for and taking care of others, said prior to her heart attack it, would have been easy for her to pass by her symptoms.
"Even if I had chest pains, I doubt I would have gone to the doctor. Now, if my husband had chest pains, I would have been hounding him to go."
Laurie said she has now changed her diet and is exercising more for her health.
"I really want to be here for my babies and my children. I want to see them all grow old. It's the decisions that you make today that really affect those things that you're really living for."
