Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared healthy in a new Instagram photo, marking his first public appearance after receiving a pacemaker.
Three days ago, the Terminator star disclosed on his podcast that he had a pacemaker fitted on Monday, following three open heart surgeries.
He stated on the program that he now had a’machine component,’ similar to his Terminator character, and that he will need to take a break from the gym.
Now, on Thursday, he shared a photo of himself with his shirt open, displaying a ‘DANGER: HIGH VOLTAGE’ dynamite timer playfully tied to his chest.
In his post, he heartily thanked his fans for the ‘wonderful sentiments’ that had come in since receiving his pacemaker.
Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared fit as a fiddle in a new Instagram picture on Thursday—the first public image of him since he had his pacemaker put.
“Thank you,” wrote the True Liars actor. ‘I’ve received so many lovely notes from all over the world, but many have questioned if my pacemaker will cause any issues with FUBAR Season 2. Absolutely not. “I’ll be ready to film in April, and you’ll only see it if you look hard enough,” he joked.
In his latest podcast, Arnold’s Pump Club, he revealed that he recently underwent surgery for a pacemaker to enhance his physical capabilities.
‘I have to tell you, just stating this to all of you contradicts so much of my upbringing in Austria, where no one ever discussed medical matters. Everything about healthcare was kept to oneself.
‘But I’ve received numerous comments and emails from others who, like me, were born with a bicuspid aortic valve, informing me that discussing my valve replacement surgery has given them strength and hope to face their own.
‘So, if I know that going against my secretive instincts and being honest benefits people, what option do I have?’
Arnold reassured his fans that he is recovering well, saying: ‘First of all, I want you to know I’m doing great!
I had surgery on Monday, and by Friday, I was already at a large environmental event with my friend and fellow fitness fighter, Jane Fonda.
‘By the way, when we talk about exercise being the only miracle medication to reduce aging, consider Jane. She’s ten years older than me and will reach 87 this year! Nobody would have guessed I started the week with surgery.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, 76, (left) has revealed he had a pacemaker last Monday – he attended this environmental event just four days later alongside Jane Fonda and was feeling well
Action-man Arnold has had three open heart surgeries in the past and shared this picture from his hospital bed in 2020
‘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.
He continued; ‘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.
‘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.’
Arnold had his aortic valve replaced in Cleveland, Ohio in 2020, to go with his new pulmonary valve that he had inserted in April 2018 in LA.
In 1997, he underwent elective heart surgery to replace a defective, congenital aortic heart valve.
When the aortic valve is not working properly, ‘it can interfere with blood flow and force the heart to work harder to send blood to the rest of the body’.
According to webmd, ‘Aortic valve repair and aortic valve replacement are procedures that treat diseases affecting the aortic valve, one of four valves that control blood flow through the heart.’
The 76-year-old said he now has a ‘machine part’, just like his Terminator character
The movie star has said he will have to take a break from the gym while he continues to recover
Austrian Bodybuilder Arnold pictured lifting weights at Muscle Beach in Venice in August 1977 in Los Angeles, California
He admitted: ‘Man, if I can be honest with you, I struggled with those 16-hour days at the Arnold Sports Festival US at the beginning of March and in the UK last week, visiting as many sports as possible and walking through those crowds of hundreds of thousands of fitness fanatics’.
According to the website, the aortic valve helps keep blood flowing in the proper direction via the heart.
It separates the heart’s primary pumping chamber (left ventricle) from the main artery that provides oxygen-rich blood to the body (aorta), according to WebMD.
Arnold expressed gratitude, saying, ‘My mother and her mother’s bicuspid valves killed them. [His mother, Aurelia, died in 1998]. I’m still alive thanks to medical advancements and my continuous efforts to communicate with and listen to my doctors.
My mother declined to have the valve replacement procedure. However, at the time, open-heart surgery was the only choice. Today, they’re replacing valves with non-invasive procedures where you can go home the same day.
I had my valves changed for the first time in 1997, which necessitated open heart surgery. They informed me that both valves will last 12 to 15 years. Dr. Starnes conducted an excellent work, and they lasted 21 years, so when I went in for replacement in 2018, the non-invasive alternative was available.
‘Of course, you are aware that there was a minor hiccup at the hospital in Los Angeles, and my non-invasive procedure became open-heart. I narrated that story and included footage in this newsletter.
He added: ‘They only changed one of the two valves, so I went to the Cleveland Clinic in 2020 to replace the other. This time, the non-invasive Transcatheter valve replacement worked!
‘But with all of those surgeries, my doctors told me it was more important than ever to stay on top of the situation, and I checked in all of the time, sharing heart rate information from home. We knew the heartbeat was irregular, and my fantastic team watched it like a hawk.
‘They told me they would let me know when it was time for a pacemaker. I went in for my normal checkup at the beginning of March on my way to the Arnold Sports Festival, and they did a full series of tests. When I got home to LA, like it was fate, I was talking to one of my best friends.
‘They told me that they had a pacemaker implanted, it was a quick recovery, and their energy levels were back to what they were used to.
‘That’s one thing you learn about an irregular heartbeat: all that extra work your heart does wears you out.
‘Man, if I can be honest with you, I struggled with those 16-hour days at the Arnold Sports Festival US at the beginning of March and in the UK last week, visiting as many sports as possible and walking through those crowds of hundreds of thousands of fitness fanatics.
‘The same day I talked to my friend, one of my doctors called to tell me that after looking at all of my results and data and knowing I had six weeks until it was time to film FUBAR Season 2, it was time to go for it. The doctors told me they want many more seasons of FUBAR, and this was the best way!
‘I told them I’d stop in Cleveland on my way home from the UK, and we’d do it. Monday, I went under and got my new machine part installed.
Arnold said: ‘My mother and her mother’s bicuspid valves killed them. I’m still here because of medical innovation and being very diligent about staying in touch with my doctors and listening to them’ (pictured with his mother Aurelia in 1990)
He stated: ‘I can’t do my hard training at the gym for a bit, but I will be 100% ready for FUBAR next month.’
‘As I have stated, by Friday, I was out doing my typical environmental duties, and no one knew anything. I won’t be able to do any serious gym training for a while, but I’ll be fully prepared for FUBAR next month!
I could have kept it a secret. But I know we now have over 750,000 subscribers (775,000 to be exact – the village has grown into a metropolis!), and many of you are most likely coping with your own health issues.
I want you to know you’re not alone.
‘And if you’re putting things off due to fear, I hope I’ve inspired you to listen to your physicians and take care of yourself.
‘This village is a place where we can be open and honest since it’s impossible to be truly positive when everything is pent up.
That’s what Arnold’s Pump Club is all about. There are certain weights that none of us can lift alone.
‘But united, we can lift anything—we can lift the globe. You’re never alone here.