LOS ANGELES (AP) — Arnold Schwarzenegger is in good spirits as he recovers from heart surgery in a Los Angeles hospital.
The 70-year-old “Terminator” actor and former California governor underwent a scheduled procedure to replace a valve on Thursday. His spokesman Daniel Ketchell says he played with one of his old action movie catchphrases when he regained consciousness and announced, “I’m back.”
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.
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) April 2, 2018
Ketchell said Saturday in an email Schwarzenegger “continues to be doing very well, in good spirits, and recovering.”
The pulmonic valve originally was installed in 1997 for a congenital heart defect and had to be replaced.
Schwarzenegger had a motorcycle crash that left him with several broken ribs in 2001. He had a hip replaced and rotator cuff surgery in 2003. He broke his right femur in a skiing accident in 2006.
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