Arnold Schwarzenegger, known for his iconic roles in action movies and his remarkable bodybuilding career, has faced several health challenges throughout his life. Despite his seemingly invincible on-screen persona, Schwarzenegger has been open about his health struggles, particularly related to his heart surgery.
In 1997, Schwarzenegger underwent elective heart surgery to replace a defective aortic valve, a condition he was born with. The Terminator star has had three open heart surgeries since his first, with his pacemaker surgery being the most recent.
Arnold Schwarzenegger shares first pictures with his new pacemaker
View this post on Instagram
The 76-year-old took to his Instagram to share his first picture since having the pacemaker installed. In the posts’ caption, he expressed his gratitude to his fans who have been supportive all through his ordeal and humorously implied some fans might be more concerned about his hit action comedy than his health.
RELATED: Arnold Schwarzenegger, 76, Shows Off Workout Routine With Physical Therapist Girlfriend, 49
“Thank you! I’ve gotten so many kind messages from all over the world,” Schwarzenegger wrote, “but a lot of people have asked if my pacemaker will cause any problems with FUBAR Season 2. Absolutely not. I will be ready to film in April, and, you can only see it if you’re really looking for it.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger says he is in great shape despite installation of a pacemaker
Speaking on his Arnold’s Pump Club podcast, the actor reassured his fans that despite his procedure, he is in great shape as he had already attended a major environmental event with Jane Fonda just a few days after the surgery. “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,” Schwarzenegger admitted. “By the way, when we talk about exercise being the only magic pill to slow down aging, look at Jane. She’s ten years older than me, turning 87 this year! Nobody would ever have thought I started the week with a surgery.”
Schwarzenegger also appreciated his medical team who helped him see the need for the procedure and cared for him through the whole process. “I want to thank my whole team at the Cleveland Clinic. All of the doctors and nurses took amazing care of me and made the surgery as painless as possible. They also advised me that it was time to go through with this because some scar tissue from my previous surgery had made my heartbeat irregular,” he confessed. “It had been like that for a few years, so I stayed in touch with my medical team and visited in person at least once a year to get a full check-up and see how my heart was doing. That’s life with a genetic heart issue. But you won’t hear me complaining.”