My Mom Had Pain in the Roof of Her Mouth. It Turned Out She Was Having a Heart Attack

0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. I’ve always wanted to be like my mom when I grow up.

When I was little, that was because of how she always seemed to know what to do and how to fix things, and the way people just gravitated toward her. She’s the person who is there for me first and most, before I even know how to ask, before I even have the words. And she does that for so many people.

My mom is basically a superhero. But recently, I was reminded that she’s not invincible.

Last spring, just before Mother’s Day, I invited my mom to attend a work event for employees and their mothers on women’s heart health . What I thought would simply be a chance to show her where I spend my days ended up being so much more than that.

At the event, the speakers emphasized that heart attack symptoms in women are often subtle and unexpected. So, when my mom woke up in December with pain in the roof of her mouth and overwhelming fatigue, she remembered what she’d learned and went to the emergency room instead of work.

There, doctors quickly discovered she was having a heart attack , and rushed her to emergency surgery. Mercifully, she survived. The decision she'd made that morning saved her life.

Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death of women in the U.S. And yet, according to the American Heart Association , many women brush off symptoms as acid reflux, the flu, or normal effects of getting older. While the most common sign of heart attack is chest pain or pressure, there are lots of subtle signs, too, including referred pain in the jaw or the feeling of a toothache. In my mom’s case, it was pain in the roof of her mouth combined with enduring exhaustion that ultimately compelled her to seek medical attention.

I’ve reflected a lot over the last few months. The thing I keep trying to reconcile in my mind is that in December, I almost lost my mom—but I didn’t. And the reason that I didn’t isn’t random. It wasn’t luck. It’s because she had the information she needed about her heart health, and she acted on it when it mattered the most.

Because of what she learned, my mom is still here to answer the phone. Still here to sit across from me. Still here for the everyday moments that didn’t feel big until I realized how close I came to losing them.

I’m aware this doesn’t get to be everyone’s story. Not everyone gets more time. Another conversation. Another ordinary day. But maybe if we keep sharing our experience, a few more moms like mine will get a second chance.

According to the American Heart Association , heart disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined—and yet, only 44% of women recognize it as the greatest threat to our health .

I’ve always wanted to be like my mom. If you take anything away from our story, I hope it’s this: Be like her, too. Learn the signs. Know your family history. And most importantly, listen to your body enough to hear when it speaks up—even if it’s inconvenient, even if it interrupts everything else.

For my kids. For my family. For all the moments that don’t feel big until they are.

I thought my mom was my hero because she was invincible, but now I realize it’s because she’s human.

Kayla Kauffman is a Minneapolis-based mom who works for Medtronic, a global healthcare technology company. Following her mother’s heart attack and recovery, she hopes to encourage women to make heart health a priority.

All views expressed in this article are the author's own.

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