Maisie Smith has promised to see her boyfriend Max George on Christmas Day, despite the long 500 mile journey to see him.
Max received a pacemaker on Saturday after undergoing emergency heart surgery that lasted 2.5 hours.
The Wanted star, 36, who has been in hospital for a week with a 2:1 atrioventricular block, shared a photo of his new scar, which lies next to a ‘special tattoo’.
Atrioventricular block is a condition that occurs when electrical impulses are delayed or blocked from reaching the ventricles.
But the EastEnders star, 23, who is currently starring in the pantomime in Kent, is confident she will see her boyfriend in person.
According to The sunMaisie said: ‘We still talk and FaceTime every day. I still try to be there as much as possible.
Maisie Smith, 23, has promised to see boyfriend Max George, 36, on Christmas Day despite the long 500 mile journey to see him
Max received a pacemaker on Saturday after undergoing emergency heart surgery that lasted 2.5 hours
‘I have Christmas Day off, so I’m going to see him. We’re not 100 percent sure where he’ll spend Christmas right now, but whatever happens, we’ll be together.”
She added: “He seems happier in spirit. It was nice to see him because we’re quite far apart, so it was nice to see him and his family.”
Max shared an update with his Instagram followers after his surgery, revealing that some of his veins had collapsed during the operation, causing ‘problems’.
Max said, ‘Say hello to my little friend! Considering the past ten days, this is the best Christmas present I could have ever asked for.
‘Pacemaker is in. The operation took about two and a half hours. The main problem was that some of my veins had collapsed where the wires were supposed to go… But the surgeons and nurses in the NHS were incredible. I owe everything to them.
‘The surgeon was kind enough to place my pacemaker just below a very special tattoo of mine. So I’m sure it’s well taken care of.”
A pacemaker is a small battery-powered device that prevents the heart from beating too slowly.
Max added: ‘Still a few more tests to do due to inflamed lymph nodes on my lungs, but it will be easy work!
The Wanted star, who has been in hospital for a week with a 2:1 atrioventricular block, shared a photo of his new scar, which lies next to a ‘special tattoo’
But the EastEnders star, who is currently starring in the pantomime in Kent, is confident she will see her boyfriend in person
Maisie said: ‘We still talk and FaceTime every day. I still try to be there as much as possible. I have Christmas Day off, so I’m going to see him. We’re not 100 percent sure where he’ll spend Christmas right now, but whatever happens, we’ll be together.
‘Time to rest and then tackle life fully again Thank you for all your support. It has meant a lot to myself and my family.’
Max previously revealed he would have to undergo surgery sooner than expected because his heart rate ‘hasn’t increased’.
On his Instagram Stories, the singer appeared exhausted as he spoke to his followers and told them that he would soon be driven to the theater.
‘I’m preparing for the operation now, I’m looking forward to it, but fingers crossed.’
It was revealed that Maisie is struggling to combine performing in a pantomime with seeing him – who is ‘on her mind 24/7’.
An insider said The sun: ‘It has been a very worrying and painful time for Max and Maisie.
‘All she wants is to be at his bedside day and night, but she is dedicated to her panto show and doesn’t want to let anyone down.
‘She has done her best to be able to visit him when hospital visiting hours allow, but it has been a struggle to juggle everything.
‘Max is in her thoughts 24/7 and she especially wants him to get better as quickly as possible.’
Max shared an update with his Instagram followers after his surgery, revealing that some of his veins had collapsed during the operation, causing ‘problems’
He previously revealed he would undergo surgery sooner than expected because his heart rate ‘hasn’t increased’
Max shared a photo of himself being given medication before his surgery
It comes after Max begged his heart monitor to work harder before it appeared to switch off, as he shared a new video from his hospital bed last Sunday.
He shared a new video of himself lying in bed as he watched his hand-held heart rate monitor move from 35 to 34 to 38 before wagging his finger and pleading, “Go up!”
The number then dropped to 37 and the star suggested he was looking for some excitement to help get his heart rate up.
He wrote: ‘Come on @mancity.. Find me out, will you?!’
The device then seemed to turn itself off, causing Max to exhale, “Brilliant.”
Speaking of his pacemaker and pointing to his chest, he said, “So the latest thing is I’m 100 percent going to have a little friend put in here at some point.
‘Um, I have a problem with the lower part of my heart, it’s called a blockage. The tricky part is what I put in there because until I have further tests we don’t know what caused it.’
The Glad You Came hitmaker noted that what happened to him is all a ‘mystery’, although doctors have been able to eliminate some possible causes.
Max said: ‘It’s a bit of a mystery really, but that’s the hard part. It’s the waiting. My heart rate is really low. They keep an eye on it 24/7, everyone has been great.
‘But the waiting is hard. Unfortunately, it’s just one of those things. Whatever I get, I have to keep doing it. We hope that a pacemaker is a good pacemaker.’
In his first post on Instagram, Max revealed he will be spending Christmas in hospital.
He wrote on Instagram: ‘Yesterday I felt very unwell and was taken to hospital. Unfortunately, after some tests they discovered that I have problems with my heart.
‘I have many more tests to determine the extent of the problems and what surgery I will need to get back on my feet.
‘It’s going to be a tough few weeks/months… and Christmas in a hospital bed wasn’t exactly what I had planned!
‘But as always, I am surrounded by love and support from my amazing partner Maisie, her family, my family and friends… and I am 100% in the best place.
‘While this is a huge shock and undoubtedly a setback, it is something I will face with everything I have! I consider myself very lucky that this was caught when it did.
‘Apologies if I bore you with updates in the coming weeks. I’ve probably been in bed for a month and there’s not much to do!’