“As I reflect on 2016 I’ve had to really focus on the ups instead of falling into the downs. Because the Ups have been incredible and the downs have been suffocating.
March 11 I found out that my pregnancy of 17 weeks was over. I’d miscarried my baby… for no explained reason than it wasn’t meant to be.
My grief turned to action and I threw myself into my swimming suit business. 4 days after my D&C I was out at Utah Lake doing a photo shoot, I got my kickstart campaign going and preorders we’re rolling in. I’d launched!
I got pregnant again and found out 2 weeks before our family was going on a 6 week road trip. Pregnancy isn’t easy for me so I ignored it, kind of, and enjoyed our incredible trip. My parents shipped orders while I was gone and life seemed to come together after our traumatic spring.
We got home had a baptism for my daughter and I was going to see my doctor for my first appointment. I was so nervous and scared. But thought miscarriage can’t happen again. I’ve been sick and tired and this is my rainbow baby. We were pregnant with twins, that were about 11 weeks along. And they didn’t make it either.
I was numb and I couldn’t breath. But I got all my kids ready for school to start and carried on…
All the while my dad still wasn’t feeling well and had continued to loose weight. Why did his back hurt so bad? And how are we not finding answers.
CT scans showed stage 4 pancreatic cancer. That darn cancer has spread to his liver and wow, we are now dealing with cancer.
My mom is fighting for his life and my sisters’ and I are fighting the only way we can. To help fund this. Why is sickness so costly and where are we going to get thousands of dollars?? Now our journey is fundraising, supporting our parents, raising young kids, supporting our spouses, helping in our kids schools, I’m still running a business. I think we sleep somewhere in there.
Even though the lows are low really low. The highs are high and we are looking everyday for the good even in our cloud of cancer. I don’t understand this crazy year. But I’m so empathetic, compassionate, and truly living in the moment. I’m teaching my kids these things as we are all trying to get through our day.”
Emily Chipman of Doliray Swimwear
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Join in the movement. Share your story!! I am sooooo excited to give any and all of you a chance to share your story. As of right now I am able to only share one story a week with you on my podcast. I’ll never get through tell the stories of the world that way so here is my chance. I would love all of you to briefly share a piece of your story on Instagram or Facebook, whatever that looks like. And then share what this has taught you about yourself and how has it changed the way you see yourself and the world around you. Share it in writing, share it in a video. Take a photo of yourself holding a sign saying #lifebeatsforme. Write your own or download mine by clicking on the button in the sidebar. Lets be the spark to break down barriers between us, fight the urge to not share, you are so worthy of inspiring others with your story. You need to recognize its worth and they need to hear it. Allow the LifeBeats within you a chance to reach out to others and to connect and resonate with the LifeBeats of others. What you have gone through, what you are doing now, the good you are doing in the world, the struggle you are currently in, your own journey is worthy of inspiring others right where you are. Be sure to tag your story with #lifebeatsforme and @lifebeatsproject so that myself and others can find them. Each Friday I will be selecting one of your stories to share on my Instagram and Facebook pages.
I cannot wait to read your stories. The world needs you.
