Doug Kramer. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Doug Kramer is looking forward to his return some time next year as he recuperates from a mild stroke he suffered in the offseason.
The veteran big man shared that he’s working his way back to the court after his stunning experience last October.
“It’s been six weeks and I started doing cardio, bike, but of core. Mid-January, I can start training again and gradual, I can play five-on-five,” he said.
Kramer told his story through his Instagram account, where he recounted in detail what happened to him during an exercise session and his stay at the hospital.
“Yes, Oct 10 I had a mild stroke after doing an exercise at home,” he said. “I felt extreme dizziness and lost my balance. I never passed out or fainted. In fact I remember everything that happened clearly.”
Things came as a shock for Kramer, a known health buff.
“I was confined in the hospital for 6 days. After the results of the MRI were found, the cause of the mild stroke was the priority. I was thinking how could a healthy guy like me go through something like this at such an early age.”
Kramer, a father of three, said he underwent a 2D Echo and a Transesophageal Echocardiogram to diagnose the cause of the stroke.
“They did find a minuscule congenital (was born with it) hole in my heart and doctors concluded that it was the cause of the clot.”
Kramer said that this life-changing experience humbled him and made him more grateful.
“I reflected and cried. Not because of what happened, but because I saw how God’s favor was upon me and how He was possibly protecting me from something worse in the future. It was frustration then gratitude. Without a doubt, it was a blessing in disguise.”
Surviving this brush with death, Kramer hopes to spread awareness to his fellow athletes about cardio-related issues.
“I would want all my fellow PBA players and athletes in general, for mandatory medical checkups to have the requirement to do a 2d Echo of the heart. With that test, you’ll be able to see any enlargement or most complications in the heart,” he said.
“It can definitely save a person’s life once you’ve found out early. I’m sure the PBA and our kind Commissioner (Chito) Narvasa has already made steps in making sure it will be part of our future annual medical checkups. I’m sure the PBA has the players’ best interest. So I truly hope it’ll all push through and have all the support of the PBA teams and players to secure our future, not just for basketball, but being able to spend more time in staying healthy for our families. And no matter what, to always remember that God is in control.”
Kramer was traded from GlobalPort to Phoenix in the offseason. He is expected to miss the entirety of the 2017 PBA Philippine Cup.