FORMER Shoalhaven football star Corey “Chook” Bain is on the long road to recovery after undergoing a double lung transplant.

The 29-year-old, who starred as a striker for Culburra and Sussex Inlet in the local competition, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis not long after birth and following years of battling his condition, particularly in the past 18 months, underwent a transplant at the Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane on September 24.

His recovery started well, but a couple of complications including a bout of pneumonia, kidney failure and an abnormal heart rhythm saw him back in the intensive care unit for nine days.

But true to form he has overcome those hurdles and is now looking ahead to a long recovery process, but still has the determination to return to playing football one day.

“It’s been a tough six weeks or so, but I’ve turned the corner and am now well on the road to recovery,” he said.

Bain checked out of hospital last Thursday and admitted he wasn’t sad to see the back of the place.

“Everyone at Prince Charles was superb, their care was sensational, but I’m glad to be leaving the place,” he said.

“It’s been a long haul and I still have a long way to go with rehabilitation to regain fitness and strength, but I’m alive.”

Mind you he will still be making visits twice a week to see doctors but at this stage there doesn’t appear to be any reason for him to be readmitted.

Even though the transplant was initially a success, Bain said the complications that followed certainly put his recovery back.

“Honestly it wasn’t looking too good there for a while after the operation, my kidneys weren’t working and I was put on dialysis, I had abnormal heart rhythm and the pneumonia really knocked me about, but I overcame that – it’s been a long road to recovery and I still have a way to go,” he said.

“I’m still pretty sore, but it’s not too bad.”

Prior to the transplant Bain’s life was severely restricted – he was on oxygen 24 hours day.

“I couldn’t do much, everywhere I went I had to take oxygen with me – the last few months waiting and hoping for a transplant were extremely tough,” he said.

“The doctors were actually amazed I made it as long as I did and they put a lot of that down to my fitness levels from all the sport I played and my work.”

As his condition worsened he relocated to Brisbane to be with his parents Margaret and John.

And while he’s not cured of CF he says his life is now amazing.

“Breathing is certainly a lot easier, I don’t need oxygen anymore, I’m not on any nebulisers, sure I’m still on a lot of medication but it’s a totally different lifestyle.”

He says his main goal now is to recover his fitness.

“I lost a lot of muscle and strength, especially when I was in ICU, now I have to get back on my feet and start getting fit again,” he said.

And that also includes a long term goal of one day again playing football.

“Doctors have said there is no reason I won’t be able to play sport again, I would love to get back to playing football, I’d love to be back playing in the Shoalhaven again,” he said.

“The number of calls and enquiries I’ve had from mates in the Shoalhaven has been fantastic.

“I’m looking forward to getting down there and catching up once I’m back on my feet again.”

And while he was a strong advocate and believer in being an organ donor prior to his transplant he is even more so now.

“Someone’s generosity has turned my life around, I can’t thank them enough and encourage everyone to think about becoming an organ donor,” he said.