'Grateful for forced rest': Joanna Gaines opens up on recovery from second surgery to treat herniated disc
WACO, TEXAS: Joanna Gaines revealed she is recovering from her second surgery to treat a herniated disc that stemmed from a decades-old injury during her cheerleading days. The 'Fixer Upper: Welcome Home' star took to her social media to give her fans an update on her health on Thursday, December 22.
"I hurt my back in high school from cheerleading- basically a basket toss turned back injury and I've been dealing with it ever since," she wrote on her Instagram post alongside a photo of herself in a hospital bed. The Texas-based star looked unfazed despite the invasive procedure as she rocked sunglasses and posed with a peace sign. "I had my first microdiscectomy in 2001 and had to cancel my second date with Chip Carter Gaines and then had the same procedure on another disc two weeks ago. I've always joked that my back likes to act up at the most inconvenient times and I was a bit stressed bc of the timing of it all with the holiday season," she further wrote.
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Taking note of the festive season, Gaines did not blame the awful timing and expressed herself to be "grateful." "But I'm truly grateful for the forced rest during the busiest time of the year. It has been a gift to simply stay put, stare at the wonder all around, and just be still," she continued. The 37-year-old home designer ended her message by wishing her fans a "beautiful Christmas week," adding, "Wishing you and yours a beautiful Christmas week. It may not all go as planned- but may you find the beauty and embrace the wonder of the here and now."
Gaines shared three images alongside the message. While the Magnolia Network co-owner is seen on the hospital bed, the next slide finds her in a festively decorated room while she is sitting on a couch hugging one of her children by the fire. Another image from the slideshow shows a glimpse of her quaint house during the Christmas season.
According to the Hospital for Special Surgery, microdiscectomy is sometimes described as minimally invasive spine surgery because it requires just a small incision and the use of a microscope or surgical glasses. The procedure is done for the relief of pain that occurs when the herniated disc presses on an adjacent nerve root. During the surgery, the doctor frees the nerve by removing small fragments of the disc, bone, and ligament.