Bret Michaels to undergo heart surgery

LOS ANGELES, May 26 (UPI) -- U.S. rocker and reality TV star Bret Michaels says he plans to have heart surgery this fall after he takes care of some of his other health issues.

Michaels, 47, has been undergoing treatment for a brain hemorrhage he suffered in April, which followed an emergency appendectomy.

Last week, he was hospitalized again for what was classified as a warning stroke. While undergoing tests, he learned he had a hole in his heart. Doctors said he would continue treatment for his various health issues on an outpatient basis.

Despite his recent illnesses, he appeared on last Sunday's live finale of "The Celebrity Apprentice" where he bested his fellow finalist, actress Holly Robinson Peete, and won $250,000 to be donated to his favorite charity, the American Diabetes Association. Excluding the finale, the show was taped before Michaels fell ill.

"What they'll do is they'll go in and they'll do the heart operation in the fall," Michaels told TV's "Access Hollywood" Monday. "They have to let everything clear out and then they'll go in and do the operation in my heart and then I'm gonna be great. I don't have any other options except to think that it's gonna be great, it's gonna be a smooth operation and I'm gonna feel awesome."