Schwarzenegger was initially undergoing a procedure “to replace a pulmonic valve that was originally replaced due to a congenital heart defect in 1997,” TMZ reported. He chose to have the valve replaced through less invasive catheter valve replacement, but complications from the procedure led doctors to perform an emergency open-heart surgery.
It’s true: I’m back! I went to sleep expecting to wake up with a small incision and woke up with a big one – but guess what? I woke up, and that’s something to be thankful for. Thank you to the doctors & nurses. And I’m truly filled with gratitude for all of the kind messages.
“I just want you to know that I’m feeling much better. I can’t say, even with my positive attitude, that I’m great,” Schwarzenegger said in the video. “Because I’m not great yet—great is a totally different level—but I’m good. I feel good, I get good care.”
Toward the end of the video, the camera panned out to reveal that Schwarzenegger was just gearing up for a game of chess “to freshen my mind and my memory a little bit.” In closing, he told followers that he’d keep them updated as he gets back on his feet.
“We move forward, and I will be in touch with all of you. And thank you all for being such jewels,” he said.
