Jimmy Barnes is recovering in intensive care after undergoing open-heart surgery at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital on Wednesday to replace a valve damaged due to illness.
The 67-year-old Cold Chisel frontman told fans on social media on Wednesday morning that the bacterial infection he’d been battling over the past fortnight had spread to his heart.
“Unfortunately I got some bad news yesterday … despite everyone’s best efforts the bacterial infection I’ve been battling over the last fortnight has apparently now spread to my heart,” Barnes wrote.
“It’s infected an otherwise healthy valve that was replaced some years ago due to a congenital defect, so I’ll be getting open-heart surgery over the next few hours to clear out this infection and put in a clean valve.”
“I’m happy to let you know that our Jimmy has made it through his surgery and is now recovering in the ICU,” she wrote. “We are so grateful for the incredible medical team looking after him. Thank you for all the love and support.”
In his post earlier on Wednesday, Barnes said he felt the fittest he’d been in decades just a few weeks ago.
“Obviously, this is going to take me out of action for a while,” Barnes said. “I know a lot of people are battling even worse things, but it still feels hugely frustrating.”
He asked fans to be patient while he figured out what this meant for upcoming shows.
“This has all happened very suddenly, so it’s going to take a few days for everyone to figure out what’s going to be doable,” Barnes said.
He also thanked his wife Jane, the doctors, nurses and fans who had sent him “get well” wishes.
“Given the serious nature of this operation I probably won’t be posting again for the next few weeks so all the best to you and yours for the holidays,” he wrote.
A host of well-known Australians responded on Wednesday morning, including fellow singers Troy Cassar-Daley and Ella Hooper, artist Ben Quilty, former Australian of the Year Grace Tame, writer Carly Findlay, and music reporters Zan Rowe and Myf Warhurst.
In late November, Barnes was hospitalised to be treated for bacterial pneumonia where he received intravenous antibiotics, and was confined to bed. This caused him to cancel his Rock the Boat 2023 performances in Noumea.
Speaking on the Today show, (on Nine, which owns this masthead) Barnes’ son David Campbell said his father was “frustrated” by the latest development but was in “wonderful hands”.
“He is frustrated for the fans who have been booking the up-and-coming shows,” Campbell said.
“He is passionate about getting crews back up and running in Australia. He is grateful for the nurses and doctors. If he hadn’t got pneumonia he wouldn’t have had this picked up.
“He is in great hands. We feel confident in the doctors.“He will make a great recovery. Reach out to him on social media. He will be good.”