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Austria-born veteran actor Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed that he had a pacemaker fitted last week after undergoing three open heart surgeries.
Schwarzenegger has been having a number of health scares lately. The 76-year-old actor has undergone several operations in the last couple of years to repair a congenital heart condition. Throughout this process, he has been transparent about his health, sharing insights into his recovery through several mediums.
Fans, too, have used social media platforms to express their solidarity with the actor.
Arnold Schwarzenegger jokes about having a “machine part”
In the March 25 episode of his podcast, “Arnold’s Pump Club,” the Terminator actor revealed that he has a pacemaker in his body now, cracking a joke about having a “machine part.” He said,
“Last Monday, I had surgery to become a little bit more of a machine. I got a pacemaker. I have to tell you, just saying this to all of you goes against so much of my upbringing in Austria, where nobody ever talked about medical issues. Everything related to healthcare was kept to yourself. But I’ve gotten so many messages and emails from people who were born with a bicuspid aortic valve, like me, telling me that talking about my valve replacement surgeries has given them courage and hope to deal with their own.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger went on to add that being transparent about health conditions helps people, and so he wants to do the same. He said,
“So, since I know that going against my secretive instinct and being transparent helps people, what choice do I have?”
However, Schwarzenegger insists, there is nothing to be concerned about. He assures fans that he is making a speedy recovery.
“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. By the way, when we talk about exercise being the only magic pill to slow down aging, look at Jane. She’s 10 years older than me, turning 87 this year.”
He went on to express his gratitude for his medical team, who took care of him and “made the surgery as painless” as possible.
He added,
“Nobody would ever have thought I started the week with a surgery.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger first underwent a pulmonary valve replacement in 1997. He then had open heart surgery in 2018 to replace a pulmonary valve, followed by an aortic valve replacement in 2020.
Apart from his health, Arnold Schwarzenegger has also had an eventful few years on a personal front. The actor, who had been married to Maria Shriver since 1986 and was together for 25 years, got his divorce finalized in 2021 and has been single since. Schwarzenegger and Shriver share four children together: Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher.
The star was last seen on stage at the Oscars, where he presented the award for Best Visual Effects along with Twins co-star Danny DeVito.
DeVito and Schwarzenegger are reportedly set to work together again. The Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor told CNN in a recent interview that they “are working on something, a project that we’re going to do together, another movie. We get along really well.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger is also set to star alongside Reacher star Alan Ritchson in the holiday family comedy The Man With the Bag. The exclusive Deadline report mentioned Adam Shankman, of Hairspray fame, as the director.
