As a TV personality, business owner, author, and mother, Joanna Gaines maintains a busy schedule. But she was recently forced to slow things down after undergoing surgery.
Jo shared a post on social media revealing the details of her operation. She said, “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.”
In 2001, Jo underwent her first microdiscectomy, which is a type of spine surgery. Jo canceled her second date with her now-husband, Chip Gaines, in order to undergo the surgery.
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According to the Hospital for Special Surgery, a microdiscectomy “is a type of minimally invasive discectomy [a spinal decompression surgery] commonly used to treat a herniated disc.” As the HSS explains, “During the operation, the surgeon frees the nerve by removing small fragments of disc, bone and ligament.”
After 21 years, Jo had to undergo the same operation. Her surgery was two weeks ago…right in the middle of the Christmas season. “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,” Jo said.
But Jo actually appreciates the “forced rest” after her surgery:
“…I’m truly grateful for the forced rest during the busiest time of the year,” she said. “It has been a gift to simply stay put, stare at the wonder all around, and just be still. 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.”
Jo shared a few photos in her post. The first shows her in her hospital bed, and the others show her relaxing at home in front of her beautifully decorated Christmas tree. See those photos and read her full post below.
We’ll be praying for Jo’s quick and complete recovery following her operation…and we hope the entire Gaines family has a merry Christmas this year!