Storm star readying for return after stroke shock
Melissa Woods |
Tui Kamikamica is eyeing an NRL return after undergoing heart and brain surgery following a stroke, with the Melbourne forward still determined to lead Fiji at this year’s Rugby League World Cup.
The Storm were rocked when the 31-year-old was rushed to hospital in March after suffering a terrifying stroke, which left him unable to move or speak.
Undergoing emergency surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain, Kamikamica told AAP his first thought when he woke regarded his playing future.
“Everything was normal and then I woke up around 3.30am to go to the toilet, and my right arm was fully numb and just slowly I can’t talk and stuff, so that’s when I know it’s something serious,” said Kamikamica, whose wife Asi quickly called an ambulance.
“When the paramedics came, I can’t even move my head, I can’t move my leg, my arm and stuff, so I went straight to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the surgery was straight away.
“As soon as I woke up, the first thing I ask the doctor, ‘Am I going to play again?’ and he was like, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll play again’, and that’s all I needed to know.”
After time in a rehabilitation facility, Kamikamica was booked in for more surgery – this time to fix the hole in his heart, known as a Patent Foramen Ovale, which had allowed the blood clot to travel to his brain.
The father of one said that surgery removed the risk of him suffering another stroke.
“Everyone has a little hole in their heart, but once you grow older, it’s supposed to be closed, but then one in four people still have that hole in their heart, I’m just one of those one in four people,” Kamikamica said.
“It was closed last week … if I didn’t have the heart surgery then I can have another stroke in the near future so that’s pretty scary.
“It’s been a tough couple of weeks, but I’m glad it’s all done now.”
Kamikamica said he was feeling “pretty much back to normal” and would gradually increase his training load before returning to play.
While he would like to be back sooner rather than later, the Storm are planning to take a cautious approach.
“I’ve been doing just light weights, light running and stuff, and then I can slowly push a bit more,” he said.
He said he’d had a constant companion in the club’s rehab group with his best mate Eli Katoa, who is also recovering from brain surgery stemming from successive concussions.
Kamikamica wants to lead Fiji at this year’s World Cup in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea in October and November.
But before that, the priority is to get back into action for the Storm who are on a worrying six-game losing streak.
The Storm have desperately missed his 110kg, 195cm presence in their forward pack.
“That’s one of the things I’ve really, really missed, just being out there and playing with the boys – it’s been a tough couple of weeks for us but I reckon once we click, it’s going to turn so we just have to believe in ourselves that we can make it right again,” said Kamikamica, who has converted his family’s farm in Somosomo into a commercial kava business.
“Pretty much my goal at the end of the year is to represent my country, Fiji, in the Rugby League World Cup, but for me right now it’s more so getting back into my rehab, doing it the right way.
“I don’t need to rush back because this is one of those serious injuries.
“But in saying that, I’ll do everything I can to be able to be out there with the boys, trying to help them throughout the year.”
AAP