Melbourne Storm prop set to return six weeks after stroke
Melbourne fan Tui Kamikamica has revealed he is just six weeks away from making a remarkable NRL comeback after a career-threatening stroke, saying: “I’ll be back on the field again.”
After suffering a stroke in late March, Kamikamica was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery, the first of two surgeries. The incident resulted in hospital and rehabilitation ward restrictions and raised questions about whether his 142-game NRL career had come to a premature end.
Only after identifying and surgically correcting the cause — a patent foramen ovale (PFO), or wing-like opening between the upper chambers of the heart that does not close after birth — Kamikamica was cleared to return.
“If everything goes well, I hope I can play in six weeks,” Kamikamica said.
“The doctor is happy, he gave me the green light to get back on the field. To be honest, the first few weeks were very difficult.”
“First of all you think ‘that’s it’, you think your rugby league career is over. I’m glad about that. [the ordeal] from the beginning. My family was behind me and supported me until the end.
“That’s right, your health is more important. I’m glad that everything is done now, all the surgeries. I’m happy that I got the green light from the doctor who said, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll be back on the field this year.'”
“That’s a huge relief. You should have seen the smile on my face when you said that.”
Kamikamica has become indispensable for the Storm team, which is missing Ryan Papenhuyzen, Nelson Asofo-Solomona, Eli Katoa and Xavier Coates this season due to injuries or departures. Kamikamica, 31, described the “frightening” conditions that resulted in him joining an already crowded casualty ward immediately after returning home from Townsville following the defeat to the Cowboys.
“I went to the toilet around 3.30am,” he said.
“I went back to lie down – you know how sometimes you lay down on your arm and it goes numb? I felt like that and I couldn’t pick it up, I couldn’t move.”
“So I rolled over and realized there was something serious going on here.
“I couldn’t talk after that. My partner turned on the light, laid me on the ground, I couldn’t move. He knew the situation was serious and immediately called the ambulance.”
Kamikamica underwent a first surgery to remove a clot in his brain, and then a second surgery last Thursday to repair a hole in his heart.
“One in four people have it,” he said. “That’s why the blood clot went all the way to my brain. It’s pretty scary. That’s why I had the stroke…
“Right after the surgery, I asked the doctor, ‘Am I playing again?’ I asked.
“He said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m giving you the green light.'”
The Fijian international has been overwhelmed by the support from the rugby league community; This included Storm captain Harry Grant running into the match against the Panthers clad in the Fijian flag.
“It was pretty special for the kids to do that,” he said. “The league community has been very supportive, the love they’ve shown me. Some people I don’t normally talk to have messaged me to see how I’m doing. It’s pretty special. I really appreciate it…
“More football [is ahead of me]. “I’ll be back there again.”
