Divorce, breast cancer, hip replacement, and a degenerative bone disease didn’t stop Kimber Murphy-Ray!

Bound for my first NPC Bikini Competition and I am not holding back. Taking every challenge that’s before me and beating the odds! In my mind I’m already a WINNER!

Despite years of struggling with 2 divorces and 2 bouts of breast cancer with radiation and multiple reconstruction surgeries, I was also diagnosed with an abnormal heart rate that caused me to pass out or go into cardiac arrest. No worries after several years of tests, doctors and specialist in 9 different states. They decided they still didn’t know how to treat me and opted for a Pacemaker/ICD which keeps my heart regulated as much as possible. Monthly check ups at my Cardiac Doctor keep me monitored.

My biggest challenge to date is a bone degeneration disease that my orthopedic doctor said I inherited. Two years ago after returning from my vacation in Key West, Florida, I went to the doctor for a pain that I had in my right hip area. I thought maybe I had pulled a muscle working out or walking. I’ve always been very active and walked 2-3 miles a day. The doctor took X-rays and set me up with an orthopedic doctor to follow up with his findings. Upon going to the ortho doctor I was still thinking no big deal.

Low and behold, I was hit with the shocking news that I had to have a hip replacement! I remember laughing thinking it was a joke. He had to be kidding. Well, he wasn’t. A few weeks later I went in for my surgery; 5 days in the hospital with a large incision in my right hip & thigh. I have never had pain that bad before-even my heart surgery didn’t hurt as bad as this.

Released from the hospital I went home to a three story Townhouse that was my next dilemma….stairs. Rehabilitation started daily and before I knew it I was on crutches making my way around the block 2 times a day. But, something still seemed a little off. After several trips to the emergency room in pain the doctors found that I had broken my femur on my right leg and the hip replacement had shifted and shortened my right leg by an inch and a half. I now have a limp that they might not be able to fix.

I cried all the way home, gathered my overnight bag and returned to the hospital for emergency surgery that afternoon. They reset the hip and the femur fracture-put in screws and wire cables to keep everything in place.

And now rehab starts all over again. I walked a couple days later and began my road to recovery. The doctors said I would never walk the same again and with a limp. Definitely HIGH HEELS were out of the question! So I decided like, everything else, I’m going to prove them wrong and walk with my head held up high…. In high heels no less…lol!

After putting on 35 pounds I changed my eating habits to be healthier and started working out with weights and walking 10-15 miles a week. I went from 190 pounds to 135 and I’ve never been healthier, stronger or happier than I am now. So here I am today working out and training for my first NPC Competition, riding my Harley and enjoying life with family & friends!

I’m doing this for me! I don’t have any regrets and would not change any of my challenges in life that I have been through – they have made me the strong woman I am today!

I’m getting ready to start my own blog with my wonderful fitness journey!