Reality television star Nicole Polizzi has undergone a hysterectomy following her stage one cervical cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
She shared the update directly from her hospital bed, confirming that her recovery process has officially begun.
Polizzi first revealed her cancer diagnosis in February after dealing with abnormal medical results for several years.
Doctors recommended an open abdominal procedure to ensure complete removal of affected tissue while leaving her ovaries intact.
Reflecting on the initial diagnosis, Polizzi expressed relief that medical professionals detected the issue early.
"Obviously, not the news that I was hoping for, but also not the worst news just because they caught it so early.
Thank freaking God!" she said.
Before the procedure, Polizzi addressed her followers to share her feelings about the impending operation and seek advice on recovering from an abdominal incision.
"I've been so busy traveling and doing all the things but now it's game time. It's happening soon," she said.
The mother of three noted that she experienced anxiety during preparatory medical appointments, including a specialized imaging procedure.
She explained that medical staff injected her with a tracer material prior to the scan.
"I get there and the nurse comes in with a big suitcase. I had no idea they inject you with radioactive material.
So, she opens this suitcase and gets this big needle out and I'm like, '[Expletive] me.' I hate needles," Polizzi said.
Despite her fear of injections, Polizzi accepted the necessary step for her care. "At this point it's like, 'Just do it.'
Whatever," she said.
She joked about the safety precautions required after the procedure due to the radioactive tracer. "It didn't spread but then she's like, 'Do you have kids?
You can't be by your kids for the rest of the day. Make sure you don't sleep with them,'" Polizzi said.
She added a lighthearted comparison regarding her temporary isolation requirement. "So I was basically a walking Chernobyl for the rest of the day," she said.
Ahead of her surgery, Polizzi explained that her doctor needed to perform a surgical cut similar to a C-section rather than a laparoscopic procedure.
"My surgery is very soon," she said.
She acknowledged her anxiety about losing an organ during the operation. "I'm trying not to think about it or freak out.
Because like, I'm losing an organ. Right, it's an organ?
Your uterus, cervix thing? Yeah.
OK," Polizzi said.
The reality star sought recommendations from her audience regarding recovery tips for the open procedure.
"You guys know I don't like pain, and I want to be cosy and comfy, and I needed recommendations on how to recover the best way after my hysterectomy," she said.
She urged other women who have undergone similar procedures to provide practical advice.
"If I'm missing anything, mamas, anybody who has gotten a hysterectomy with the big cut, please help. I don't want to feel pain.
If you know me, I'm a baby. I don't like pain.
I don't like any type of uncomfortableness," Polizzi said.
Polizzi further clarified why her physician opted for an open abdominal surgery rather than a less invasive approach.
"He's got to do the C-section cut to get everything out," she said.
She recognized that the chosen method would involve a more demanding recovery period. "So that's what we're dealing with, and that's what it's got to be.
And I know the recovery is way worse," she said.
Using her public platform, Polizzi urged women to maintain regular health screenings and avoid delaying annual exams.
"I've been struggling with abnormal Pap smears for three or four years now, and now look at me," she said.
She stressed that facing her health fears ultimately allowed doctors to find the disease in its early stages.
"Instead of just putting it off because I didn't want to go, and it hurt, and I was scared, no, I just went and did it.
And it was there, cancer is in there," Polizzi said.
She emphasized the positive outlook given the early detection. "But it's stage 1, and it's curable," she said.
Polizzi previously expressed that undergoing a hysterectomy presented an emotional challenge, despite having completed her family with her husband, Jionni LaValle.
"I'm not great with pain, so thinking about removing an organ is scary," she said.
She reflected on the personal impact of the surgery on her womanhood.
"That's a part of being a woman, and even though I'm done having kids, the thought of not being able to really upset me," she said.
Following her post-surgery update from the hospital, fans and public figures offered support. Polizzi posted a brief message over her video to confirm the completed operation.
"We did it Joe. Hysterectomy," she said.
Followers offered encouraging words in response to her announcement, with one fan acknowledging the challenging road ahead. "So proud of you," said an anonymous fan on TikTok.
Another commenter reminded her that the discomfort would eventually pass.
"Yeah, recovery sucks…and then one day, it is all over, you're healed, and it is all behind you…you got this…take it easy and heal," said another fan.
Polizzi acknowledged the difficulty of the immediate recovery process in a direct reply. "Hope so cause I'm struggling," she said.
Her long-time co-star Sammi Giancola also sent words of support to her friend during her hospital stay. "Love you!"
Giancola said.
Giancola praised Polizzi's resilience as she starts her healing process. "Strongest badass – it's over now and on the road to recovery," she said.
According to health authorities such as the Cancer Council, cervical adenocarcinomas begin in glandular cells higher up in the cervix, accounting for approximately 25 percent of cervical cancer cases.
Polizzi continues her post-operative recovery at home.
