CAUSE CLOSE TO THE HEART: Heart recipient Trish Kramer will draw on all her strength next week when she competes in the walking event for the 2012 transplant games to be held in Newcastle. Photo: LUKE SCHUYLER 0924trish1
IT’S Trish Kramer’s fighting spirit, so much admired by her family and friends, which will see her lace up her joggers to walk three kilometres in the Australian Transplant Games which start in Newcastle on Saturday.
Two years ago Mrs Kramer received a new heart in a transplant operation which she initially sailed through.
However for the next 18 months her body continued to reject the intensive medication program.
“It has been tough,” she said.
Side effects from medication included having to deal with gout and developing a tremor in her hands
However she say there are positives.
“I can breathe now and my lips and fingers aren’t blue,” she said.
“But when people see me shaking they come up and ask if I’m cold.”
For a week Mrs Kramer will take part in the games alongside fellow transplant patients and she says she’s looking forward to catching up with old friends from times spent in hospital.
“I have a friend I made who had a double lung transplant and I’m looking forward to spending time with her,” she said.
Mrs Kramer says she’s not looking to bring home a gold medal.
“For me it will be enough just to be there and compete,” she said.
She’s looking forward to the mind challenge of Scrabble which is one of the activities scheduled for the week-long games.
“The organisers have included a lot of activities for people who aren’t all that physically active,” she said.
Compared to this time last year Mrs Kramer says she’s enjoying good health.
“I haven’t really had to go back to Sydney because of a rejection since April, so it’s looking good now,” she said.
Before she heads off to compete she says she wants to thank her many supporters who helped her fundraise to get to the games.
“Thank you all - I just couldn’t have done it without you,” she said.
janice.harris@ruralpress.com