Joanna Gaines shares photo from hospital bed with a self-care reminder

By Carson Blackwelder

Joanna Gaines is sending an important self-care reminder ahead of the holidays.

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, the former "Fixer Upper" star shared a photo of herself wearing sunglasses in a hospital bed after undergoing a surgical procedure known as a microdiscectomy. The need for the surgery, she explained, stemmed from a back injury she sustained from a cheerleading accident in high school.

Gaines said in the post that she received her first microdiscectomy in 2001, which caused her to cancel her second date with now-husband Chip Gaines, and she had the same procedure done "on another disc two days 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 admitted. "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."

Gaines ended her post wishing her followers "a beautiful Christmas week" and reminded them, "It may not all go as planned- but may you find the beauty and embrace the wonder of the here and now. ✨"

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A post shared by Joanna Stevens Gaines (@joannagaines)

Gaines and her husband, whom she married in May 2003, share five children together: son Drake, 18; daughter Ella Rose, 16; son Duke, 14; daughter Emmie Kay, 12; and son Crew, 4.