Arnold Clavio: I believe I’m now on my third life

Over lunch one afternoon, veteran broadcaster Arnold Clavio casually mentioned that he was due for another medical check-up. Then he said something that immediately caught my attention: “I believe I’m now on my third life.” It was an intriguing statement — one that prompted a longer conversation about health, survival and second chances.

For Arnold, the phrase is more than a figure of speech. Born on Nov. 2, 1965, the veteran GMA newsman considers his second life to have begun on June 11, 2024, when he narrowly survived a hemorrhagic stroke. While driving, he suddenly felt the right side of his body go numb. Summoning every ounce of strength, he managed to drive himself to the emergency room of Fatima University Medical Center, where doctors confirmed he had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke.

He was later transferred to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, where his cardiologist could oversee his treatment.

Looking back, Arnold admits that years of neglect had taken a toll on his health. A diabetic for more than two decades, he had pushed his body to its limits with chronic sleep deprivation, relentless work, stress and alcohol consumption.

For decades, he thrived in the high-pressure world of broadcast journalism, where pre-dawn call times, long hours, breaking news, tight deadlines and the constant pressure of delivering accurate information left little room for rest or self-care. The demanding pace eventually caught up with him.

Determined to avoid another health scare after the stroke, Arnold embraced a healthier lifestyle. He became more mindful of his diet, gave up alcohol, made exercise — particularly golf — a regular part of his routine, prioritized sleep and committed to annual medical check-ups.

Little did he know that another life-threatening condition was silently developing.

During his routine annual check-up in June — the anniversary month of his stroke — his cardiologist requested additional tests, including a treadmill stress test to assess his heart during physical exertion and a 2D echocardiogram, an ultrasound that provides detailed images of the heart’s chambers, valves and walls.

When the results came back, Arnold was stunned. His doctor told him that one of the major arteries supplying blood to his heart appeared to be about 90 percent blocked. Given his recent health scare, the finding was especially alarming.

His cardiologist immediately recommended an angiogram to determine the extent of the blockage. Although Arnold had to postpone the procedure because of a previously scheduled trip to Hong Kong, he promised to undergo the test as soon as he returned.

Ironically, during that trip, he indulged in some of his favorite dishes, including Peking duck and roast pigeon.

Upon returning to Manila, Arnold underwent an angiogram at Diliman Doctors Hospital under the care of Dr. Alex Ang. Awake throughout the 15-minute procedure, he watched images of his beating heart appear on the monitor. The results were even more serious than expected: one of the major arteries supplying blood to his heart was found to be 95 percent blocked.

When Arnold asked what caused the blockage, his doctor explained that it could have been the result of genetics or years of cholesterol buildup that had hardened into plaque inside the artery.

He was presented with two treatment options: coronary artery bypass surgery or angioplasty. The deciding factor was recovery time. While bypass surgery would require three to six months of recuperation, angioplasty offered a much quicker recovery of about a week. Arnold opted for the less invasive procedure, which was scheduled the following day at the Philippine Heart Center.

The angioplasty was performed through his right wrist under local anesthesia. Fully awake during the hour-long procedure, he watched the entire procedure and successfully underwent the treatment that restored blood flow to his heart.

What surprised him most was that he had experienced no warning signs. His cardiologist explained that diabetes can damage nerves, dulling the body’s ability to detect pain — a condition known as diabetic neuropathy.

Arnold has his own way of describing it. “Yung diabetes parang social media,” he said. “Fake news. Nagbibigay siya ng misinformation sa brain mo. So, minsan, may pain ka, pero iba yung signal kapag may diabetes, kaya wala akong naramdaman.”

Despite enduring both a stroke and a severe heart condition within two years, Arnold chooses gratitude over regret. He acknowledges that his stroke was largely the result of years of overwork. At one point, he survived on barely three hours of sleep each night while juggling the demanding schedules of “Unang Hirit” at 5 a.m., his radio program at 8 a.m. and “24 Oras” in the evening.

His heart condition, meanwhile, was the combined result of diabetes, advancing age, genetics, and years of accumulated cardiovascular risk. Diabetes also runs in his family. “Tinanong ko nanay ko,” he recalled. “May lola nga ako na naputulan ng paa.”

Today, Arnold has a simple but urgent message, especially for younger people: don’t wait for symptoms before taking your health seriously. He encourages everyone to begin undergoing comprehensive medical check-ups by age 40 — even if they feel perfectly healthy. “Kasi yung body natin, minsan sa loob hindi talaga sila nagbibigay ng sign unless malala ka na.”

Looking back, he believes regular screenings could have detected the narrowing of his arteries much earlier, allowing medication and lifestyle changes to prevent the blockage from becoming life-threatening.

“Kung naging regular ang stress test ko, nakita sana noong 40 percent pa lang ang blockage at nadaan pa sa gamot,” he said.

He also hopes younger generations will rethink the lifestyle choices they often consider part of growing up. “Kapag bata ka pa lang, i-check mo na yung kinakain mo dahil sisingilin ka sa kinakain mo. Noong kabataan natin, parang ang definition ng youth ay paninigarilyo at pag-inom. Parang kailangang makisama at malakas kang uminom. Pero pagdating mo sa ganitong edad, sisingilin ka na sa naging lifestyle mo.”

Beyond adopting a healthier lifestyle, he now encourages people — especially those with diabetes or other risk factors — not to rely solely on yearly physical examinations but to consult their physicians regularly and undergo medical monitoring every three to six months when necessary.

For Arnold, surviving a stroke gave him a second chance. Discovering — and treating — a silent, life-threatening blockage in his heart just in time has given him what he now calls his third life.