Jonah Lomu on his way to recovery
WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- New Zealand rugby legend Jonah Lomu has started walking his way back into training just a fortnight after undergoing a kidney transplant operation.
The giant winger, who once struck fear in the hearts of all who opposed him, has stated a return to the All Blacks is his ambition but he acknowledges he will have to take things slowly.
He had been on dialysis for a year after suffering from a rare kidney disease for nearly a decade.
He has now received a donated kidney from a friend and local radio personality Grant Kereama.
"While I am very keen to get back into a training schedule and a normal daily life, I'm learning I've just got to take it a bit slower and that each day can be different from the last," Lomu, 29, said in a statement Friday.
He said he was enjoying some walking after a long time coping with the effects of dialysis.
"I'm out and about a lot more. Today we took Jack (the family dog) on a 30 minute walk," he said.
"Having dealt with severe nerve damage in my feet for the last year which restricted my movement, something as simple as a walk feels great."
Doctors say a return to international rugby is not impossible for Lomu, but he will have major health issues to contend with first, including the possibility of the kidney being rejected.
Lomu was told of the possibility of kidney failure just before the 1995 World Cup but continued playing top level rugby until 2002.
