Savannah Guthrie Using a Whiteboard to Communicate After Surgery

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Savannah Guthrie is taking it one morning at a time.

The host of NBC’s Today show announced she’s recovering from vocal surgery and will be off the air for several weeks.

Savannah posted a selfie from bed, wearing glasses and holding a whiteboard. The board said she was doing well and thanked everyone for their prayers and support.

She captioned the Jan. 5 Instagram post, “see you soon!” with a yellow heart emoji.

The 53-year-old, who shares 11-year-old Vale and 8-year-old Charley with her husband Michael Feldman, had let viewers of the Today show know she would be taking a temporary leave to have surgery on vocal nodules and a polyp that had developed over the past few years.

I’ve been dealing with a scratchy and cracking voice lately, and I finally found out why. I have vocal nodules and a polyp. It’s not serious, but I’ll need surgery in the new year, which means I’ll be taking a couple of weeks off. So today is my last day for a little while.

Savannah joked that viewers likely assumed she had a never-ending cold. She’s relieved doctors finally found a treatment for the health issue she’s been dealing with for years and is very excited about the progress.

She explained that she’d need to remain completely silent while recovering from surgery, and playfully said this meant her family would be getting an early Christmas break – a bit of peace and quiet!

Honestly, seeing Sheinelle Jones talk about going through the same surgery as Savannah was such a relief! I was so worried, but hearing her share how it actually went… it made me feel so much better. It’s amazing to know Savannah wasn’t alone and that someone else understands exactly what she’s been through. I’m just so glad Sheinelle was there to offer that support – it means the world to me, and I know it meant the world to Savannah too!

Honestly, hearing Sheinelle say that just got to me. It’s like, she gets it! It’s okay to just…stop. To let everything be quiet for a minute. And the best part? She said the kids will actually want to help! It’s like a little permission slip to breathe and let them be amazing little humans, you know?

Savannah was relieved to have support from her Today co-host, Sheinelle Jones, who had undergone the same surgery and was able to share some encouraging thoughts about what can be a difficult process.

Sheinelle pointed out a positive side: you’re allowed to rest. When things calm down at home, your kids will likely want to pitch in and help.

Shaneille gifted Savannah the whiteboard she’d been using to talk to her family while recovering her voice. It’s not certain if this is the same whiteboard seen in Savannah’s picture, though.

As a huge fan of the show, I was so excited to hear about the new co-host! They were saying that a lot of amazing singers have come through, and jokingly suggested I might even end up sounding like Celine Dion if I tried out. It’s a fun thought, and honestly, it makes me want to audition even more!

For more celebrities who have been candid about their health, read on. 

Nikki Bella, known from Total Bellas, shared that one of her breast implants moved after being hit during the elbow of fellow wrestler Piper Niven in a match back in July 2025.

She reassured her sister, Bella Garcia, that they would get the issue resolved eventually. She explained to the doctor that as soon as she finished her current commitments – ‘the minute the boots are hung up,’ as she put it – she would return to address the problem and make sure everything looked its best. She wanted to ensure they were prepared for future opportunities and didn’t appear neglected.

Lupita Nyong’o, known for her role in 12 Years a Slave, received a diagnosis of uterine fibroids—non-cancerous growths in or around the uterus—in 2014, the same year she won an Academy Award for her performance in the film.

She didn’t reveal her diagnosis until 2025, when she shared on Instagram that she had been privately struggling with it for over ten years.

She explained that growing up, many of us are taught to accept period pain as a normal part of being female. This often leaves people feeling like they’re dealing with a difficult experience on their own, when it actually affects so many of us.

 

In July 2025, the actress from Daisy Jones & The Six revealed she was hospitalized for a hernia. This happened because she’d been wearing pants that were too tight, which caused a gap to form in her abdominal muscles.

Someone messaged Suki on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, asking why she hadn’t posted recently. Suki jokingly replied that she’d been hiding a serious medical issue – a hernia caused by wearing extremely tight pants six months ago – and was afraid to mention it.

The former star of Beverly Hills, 90210 shared in April 2025 that he was recovering from surgery because his appendix was close to rupturing.

Brian shared in an Instagram video that he recently experienced stomach pain which led him to the emergency room. He explained he had a perforated appendix – it hadn’t fully burst, but was very close to it.

He added, “I’m on the road to recovery. It’s not an easy process. This is my first major surgery.”

During a soccer game against the Seattle Reign on September 14th at Lumen Field in Seattle, a midfielder for Racing Louisville collapsed after only a few minutes of play.

Oh my gosh, I was watching the game and it was terrifying! She just started slowly lowering herself to the ground, and another player rushed over to support her. Then, right as the ref was signaling for the trainers, she just… went down. It happened so fast, I was so worried! I couldn’t look away, honestly. I hope she’s okay!

After receiving immediate medical attention on the field, Savannah was taken to a nearby hospital for further tests, the National Women’s Soccer League announced on X. They reported that she is currently stable and awake.

Adam Devine revealed that injuries from a childhood accident – he was hit by a cement truck when he was 11 – continue to bother him now.

“It’s been incredibly difficult,” Devine shared on the In Depth With Graham Bensinger podcast in 2025. “I experience spasms throughout my body, and doctors recently told me I was facing a life-threatening situation—within the past year, actually.”

He mentioned that his pain is intermittent, explaining that his body has some minor imperfections and isn’t quite functioning as it should.

A former contestant on The Bachelor went to the hospital because of severe back pain. He said he was in so much pain he had to crawl on his hands and knees, and the pain got worse during a road trip with a friend.

He described a lingering tingling sensation in his knees and toes, saying it was “crazy” even weeks after the initial issue. He explained that just a month prior, he was able to squat 295 pounds, but now he can’t even do a single squat or stand on one foot without falling. He compared the feeling to having a stroke.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

Gina Kirschenheiter, from The Real Housewives of Orange County, revealed that her ex-husband, Matt Kirschenheiter, had a heart attack in March 2025, but he is recovering well.

Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE what happened! My absolute idol, the incredible star of 30 Rock, had a scary health moment at a Knicks game back in March 2025. I heard they actually had to wheel him out of Madison Square Garden! I was so worried when I heard – it was terrifying! I’m just so glad he’s okay, but it was a really frightening experience for all of us fans.

The comedian later posted on social media to explain that he hadn’t been feeling well due to food poisoning, but was starting to recover.

In February 2025, the former Even Stevens star revealed she was shot in the face during a birthday celebration for her husband, Brendan Rooney. They were on a trip to go clay pigeon shooting when the incident occurred.

In an Instagram post, she explained that she was accidentally shot in the face by someone at a party who fired a weapon unsafely. Thankfully, @thebrendanrooney quickly helped her, checked her injuries, and drove her to the hospital. She was hit five times, and one bullet narrowly missed her right eye, coming within an inch of a direct hit.

I was really worried to hear about what happened, but Ron Stoppable shared that a small piece of something got stuck behind his eye. The doctors feel it’s too dangerous to try and remove it right now, but they’re keeping a close watch on him, and thankfully, he says his vision is still perfectly normal. It’s scary, but I’m relieved to hear he’s doing okay!

The actress expressed immense gratitude for surviving a frightening experience. She shared how much she cherishes her daughters, husband, family, and friends, explaining that she realized how precious life is. She urged everyone to hug their loved ones often, because things can change so quickly.

Amy Schumer is grateful for the internet, despite its often negative side, because it helped her discover a health issue. After noticing she looked “puffier” during interviews, she was surprised when doctors began commenting on her appearance online, suggesting she might have Cushing syndrome. They pointed out changes in her face that prompted her to realize she’d been receiving steroid injections after a breast reduction and C-section. These injections, she learned, had caused the condition. Schumer shared that she wouldn’t have known about it without the online comments. She recently received good news: her form of Cushing syndrome is temporary and she’s healthy, which she called “the greatest news imaginable.”

As a huge hockey fan and especially a follower of the AHL, I was really shaken up to hear about the injury one player suffered in December 2024. He was unfortunately cut by a skate during a game and needed 25 stitches! Thankfully, he made a full recovery, and his dad, Tom Fitzgerald – the GM of the New Jersey Devils – shared how relieved they were. He told ESPN it was a scary experience, and honestly, he said something that really resonated with me: ‘We’re very lucky. I don’t wish that on any parent.’ It just put things into perspective.

In March 2022, Hailey Bieber experienced a frightening health scare while having breakfast with her husband, Justin Bieber. She suddenly started having stroke-like symptoms, and couldn’t speak or control the right side of her face. Although her symptoms briefly disappeared, she went to the hospital for tests. Doctors discovered she’d had a small blood clot travel to her brain, which they identified as a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack). Further testing at UCLA revealed Hailey had a hole in her heart, called a patent foramen ovale (PFO). The blood clot had moved through this hole and caused the TIA. Thankfully, Hailey had a successful procedure to close the hole in her heart and is now recovering well.

The same year Hailey faced a health issue, Justin also experienced one. In June 2022, he revealed he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a condition that caused temporary paralysis on one side of his face. This forced him to cancel the rest of his Justice World Tour.

In a video posted to Instagram, Justin explained that the virus affected nerves in his ear and face, preventing him from blinking, smiling, or moving his nostril on the affected side. He also shared that it was becoming increasingly difficult to eat.

Fortunately, the paralysis eventually subsided. Hailey later appeared on Good Morning America and said Justin was recovering well, adding that while the situation was frightening and unexpected, he was going to be okay and she was grateful he was fine.

Jamie Foxx recently shared details about the health scare he experienced in April 2023, which he had initially kept private. In his 2024 Netflix special, What Had Happened Was…, he explained that he suffered from a severe headache one day while in Atlanta. Before he could even take an aspirin, he lost consciousness and doesn’t remember the next twenty days.

He initially saw a doctor who gave him a cortisone shot and sent him home, but his sister, Deidra Dixon, was worried and took him to the hospital. There, they discovered he had a brain bleed that led to a stroke.

After undergoing surgery, Jamie woke up in a wheelchair on May 4th, unable to walk. He then traveled to Chicago for rehabilitation and therapy. He expressed his gratitude for the prayers he received, saying, “I needed every prayer.”

The reality TV star said she briefly stopped breathing while running a mile during the first challenge on the NBC show.

She shared on the show Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser that her memory of the event was fragmented. She recalled hearing a helicopter, feeling like she was floating, and then seeing her grandfather. After that, she remembers only darkness, followed by light, leading her to realize she had died that day.

She explained that her organs were failing. She hadn’t known she had rhabdomyolysis, a condition where your body essentially begins to shut down.

Emilia Clarke, known for her role in Game of Thrones, revealed a harrowing health battle in a 2019 essay for The New Yorker. While filming the show, she experienced a sudden, severe headache while at the gym. She described collapsing and becoming violently ill, realizing something was seriously wrong with her brain.

A hospital scan quickly revealed she’d suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a life-threatening stroke caused by a ruptured aneurysm. She immediately underwent surgery to repair it, but the pain was excruciating. During her recovery, she experienced aphasia, leaving her unable to speak coherently.

Though the aphasia eventually passed and she was discharged after a month, a 2013 scan revealed the aneurysm had doubled in size, requiring a second surgery. This surgery was unsuccessful, leading to a massive bleed and a dire prognosis. Doctors had to perform a more invasive procedure, accessing her brain directly through her skull.

Fortunately, Emilia reports that she has now made a full recovery and is at 100

Cori Broadus, Snoop Dogg’s daughter, recently expressed her gratitude for her family’s support after she suffered a stroke in January 2024. She immediately reached out to them, sending a text and a picture, and they quickly came to her aid, she told TopMob News’ Will Marfuggi in December 2024. While she could have been discharged after the stroke, other health issues, including lupus and kidney problems, required a longer hospital stay. Cori is now recovering well. “I’m doing great,” she said, adding that she’s been working to regain some motor skills, but is otherwise doing fine.

Shailene Woodley struggled with serious health issues throughout her early twenties. In a September 2024 podcast interview, she explained that she experienced hearing loss, extreme fatigue, and digestive problems. She saw many doctors but received conflicting diagnoses.

Drawing on her background in herbalism and holistic health, Shailene sought answers from both traditional doctors and alternative healers, hoping to find relief and understand what was happening to her body.

This search for wellness lasted for a decade. The physical discomfort led to anxiety around food and, eventually, struggles with body image and a sense of self. She described a confusing time where she questioned her relationship with her own body.

Fortunately, after years of focusing on both her physical and mental health, Shailene has fully recovered. She’s now healthy and happy to share that she’s feeling better than ever.

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2026-01-05 21:50