Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen said everything went “fantastic” with his heart surgery Monday and he plans to be back at Dodger Stadium next week to work on getting his heart rate up.
“They found the problem, figured it out, put my heart back to normal,” Jansen told MLB Network on Wednesday about the 5 1/2 hour procedure.
“What I remember is that when I got up, the only person I saw in the room was [manager] Dave Roberts. I hear his voice, I’m like, ‘That’s my favorite man next to me.’ That was awesome. Doc drove all the way from San Diego to be with me when I had my surgery.”
Jansen underwent an ablation surgery — his second in six years — for a rapid heartbeat, and the Dodgers say he should be ready for spring training and available on Opening Day.
He said he will need to be on blood thinners for the next two months and that he has a little chest tightness, but that he’s feeling much better two days after the surgery.
Jansen is hopeful that the surgery will eliminate the problem, but he’s also realistic.
“In life, nothing is guaranteed,” Jansen said. “But the percentage is higher that this won’t happen any more.”
He said they he will need to exercise precaution, especially when he is in a high-altitude location like Colorado, taking care to stay hydrated.
“I’m an athlete, I still have to go to Colorado. You can’t be 100 percent that it won’t ever happen,” Jansen said. “But this is the second time I’m doing this procedure. Once you do it twice, you will be in better shape, so your heart’s not going to have to go through it again.”