Arnold Schwarzenegger undergoes pacemaker surgery; jokes about being 'more machine'
What's the story
Famed Hollywood actor and former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, recently revealed that he underwent pacemaker surgery. The announcement was made on his podcast, Arnold's Pump Club, where he humorously quipped, "I had surgery for a pacemaker, and became a little bit more of a machine." The 76-year-old Terminator actor revealed that he underwent the surgery "last Monday."
Medical history
A look at Schwarzenegger's heart health history
The star of Terminator has a history of heart conditions, including three open-heart surgeries. His first two surgeries in 1997 were to replace his pulmonic and aortic valves. Contrary to expectations that these valves would last 12-15 years, they functioned for 21 years before requiring replacement in 2018 and 2020. His third surgery in 2018 was complicated by severe internal bleeding due to an accidental puncture in the heart wall.
Health update
The actor is 'doing great' after the surgery
Despite health setbacks, Schwarzenegger maintains an optimistic attitude and commitment to recovery. He reassured fans by saying, "First of all, I want you to know I'm doing great! I had my surgery on Monday, and by Friday, I was already at a big environmental event with my friend and fellow fitness crusader Jane Fonda."
Gratitude for the medical team
Schwarzenegger thanked the medical team
Schwarzenegger extended his gratitude to the medical team at the Cleveland Clinic who carried out his successful surgery. He praised their work, saying, "All of the doctors and nurses took amazing care of me and made the surgery as painless as possible." His doctors advised this procedure due to irregular heartbeats caused by scar tissue from previous surgeries.
Family's health
Heart troubles run in Schwarzenegger's family
Schwarzenegger also opened up about his family's history of heart conditions, disclosing that his mother and grandmother's bicuspid aortic valves led to their premature deaths. He credits his survival to medical advancements and his proactive approach to maintaining regular contact with his doctors. "I'm still here because of medical innovation and being very diligent about staying in touch with my doctors and listening to them," he stated.