Did You Know Arnold Schwarzenegger Recently Had Heart Surgery?

Arnold Schwarzenegger has shared an update on his health. 

The former California governor disclosed that he underwent surgery recently to have a pacemaker implanted, and he is currently recuperating from the procedure.

Schwarzenegger has used his podcast, "Arnold's Pump Club," to keep his fans apprised of events in his personal life. Taking to the mic in his most episode, the actor said:

"Last Monday, I had surgery to become a little bit more of a machine: I got a pacemaker. First of all, I want you to know I'm doing great!"

After reiterating that he had the procedure on surgery on Monday, he stated that by Friday, he "was already at a big environmental event with my friend and fellow fitness crusader Jane Fonda." He added:

"Nobody would ever have thought I started the week with a surgery."

Schwarzenegger shared his appreciation for the "whole team at the Cleveland Clinic" for taking "amazing care" of him and making the "surgery as painless as possible." 

Delving deeper into the conversation, the Hollywood legend emphasized that he owed his continued presence to his diligence in maintaining communication with his doctors and heeding their advice. 

He also revealed that his mother passed away in 1998 because she did not undergo the necessary valve replacement surgery before recalling:

"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."

Schwarzenegger divulged that his doctor advised him to prioritize getting the pacemaker promptly, especially if he intended to be in good health for filming season 2 of "FUBAR" just six weeks later. 

Determined to address the issue swiftly, the "Terminator" actor agreed to have the procedure done while en route from the United Kingdom, stopping in Cleveland. 

He added that although the surgery translated to him temporarily skipping his "serious" gym training, he "will be 100% ready for FUBAR next month!"

Schwarzenegger's need to prioritize his health comes just two months after he was detained for possessing an "unregistered" luxury watch during customs inspections in Munich, Germany. 

As The Blast reported in January, Schwarzenegger failed to declare possession of an expensive watch upon his arrival, a mandatory requirement according to customs regulations. 

The ordeal reportedly lasted three hours, during which the 76-year-old maintained a composed demeanor, possibly to prevent the situation from escalating. 

Those familiar with the incident characterized the superstar's detainment as an "incompetent shakedown," declaring that he was never prompted to fill out a declaration form before traveling to Europe.

Schwarzenegger was ultimately instructed to pay taxes on the watch, amounting to $10,613, a sum he allegedly complied with.

The payment process did not go as smoothly as the former professional bodybuilder expected as his first attempt was met by a credit card machine malfunctioning. 

After the actor's persistent attempts for the machine to work failed, he proceeded to withdraw cash from an ATM but was thwarted by a low withdrawal limit.

Even a backup plan to withdraw from a bank fell through due to its closure. Eventually, a successful payment was made using a different operational credit card machine at the airport.

In addition to the tax payment request for the watch, criminal proceedings were initiated against Schwarzenegger. The legal action was confirmed by Thomas Meister, spokesman for the Munich Main Customs Office, who expressed:

"We have initiated criminal proceedings under tax law. The watch should have been registered because it is an import."

Despite the drama surrounding its arrival in Europe, the aforementioned watch brought in the big bucks at Schwarzenegger’s charity auction at the prestigious Stanglwirt Resort in Austria. 

The event, in support of the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative, saw the ex-politician taking the stage and overseeing a bidding frenzy, with the Audemars Piguet watch stealing the spotlight.

With an initial valuation of around $100k, the watch’s value soared, ultimately fetching a staggering 270,000 euros (approximately $293k), according to sources in the know.

The remarkable surge in price contributed to the auction’s resounding success, raising a total of 1.3 million euros and setting a new record for the organization.