"Life is good and I am happy and healthy!" says Eddie Van Halen

Guitarist Eddie Van Halen recently updated his MySpace page with the following statement:

"Took a short break and went to Vegas with Janie [Liszewski, Eddie's new wife], Wolfie [Eddie's son and Van Halen bassist, Wolfgang] and Olivia.

"Hung out and relaxed, saw three Cirque shows, shopped, checked out the town and had a good time all around.

"Back home now and busy planning Janie's birthday and working on some stuff in the studio.

"Life is good and I am happy and healthy!"

Eddie Van Halen told Rolling Stone that he underwent surgery on his hand to correct a twisted tendon, a bone spur, and a cyst in the joint of his left thumb. He noted that the hand problems began during Van Halen's last tour: "During the last leg of our tour, I started developing pain in my thumb and my pinky. I didn't think much of it at the time. It got progressively worse to the point that about three months ago I wasn't able to play at all. My pinky and my thumb were totally locked up and felt like there was something broken."

He also explained that he turned to hand specialists in Dusseldorf, Germany for help. At first, said specialists were treating him for arthritis. However, further examinations revealed the extent of the problem: "They said the only way to fix it was surgery, which of course scared the shit out of me, but I was told it was the only way to fix it. Surgery was a success, now I just have to let it heal. I am totally jazzed that they found the problem, fixed it and in about four months my hand will feel like I am 18 again. Thank God."

Van Halen, whose current lineup features brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen, Wolfgang Van Halen (Eddie's son), and David Lee Roth, are expected to record a new album and launch a subsequent tour in 2010.