When Jenylyn Carpio fainted unexpectedly at age 7, it was the first of numerous instances that her doctors were unable to diagnose despite doing electrocardiograms, or EKGs.
After she gave birth to her daughter, Linda Joy, in 2005 at the age of 22, the mystery grew more complicated. The fact that Jenylyn's pregnancy was normal yet her heart rate didn't rise as it should have during labor baffled the physicians.
The young wife, mother, and student experienced stress and exhaustion during the following two months.
Jenylyn, who was given a postpartum depression diagnosis, said, "I thought I was getting used to the new role of being a mom, in addition to all the other hats I was wearing."
Jenylyn's mother once offered to watch the infant while she rested. Her mother giving her CPR and a policeman shining a light into her eyes are the next two things she recalls. She tasted blood when she bit her tongue. Her mother informed her that she had had a heart attack.
Jenylyn remarked, "She saved my life."
Doctors examined her childhood medical records and performed a battery of tests on her in the hospital. Inquiries about her family's medical history were also made.
There was little information available regarding the remainder of her maternal grandfather's family because he had passed away from heart disease in his 30s.
After experiencing pain and concerns about her capacity to balance her responsibilities as a wife and mother, Jenylyn underwent surgery twice over the course of the next ten years to replace implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) because of battery problems.
After contacting them, Jenylyn applied to be a social media ambassador for the American Heart Association. Going public wasn't simple at first, but her tale struck a chord with many, and she built a network of supporters and met many of her fans in person.
Jenylyn keeps sharing her story in public and stresses how crucial it is to learn CPR, which is how she was saved.
She often portrays Ticker, the mascot of the American Heart Association, in a red heart costume—one of her favorite roles—at neighborhood gatherings and health fairs.