See Health Update Melissa Gilbert Shared with Her Fans after a Recent Spinal Surgery

This month, actress Melissa Gilbert had to go in for her fourth spinal surgery. In a recent social media post, the star gave her fans an update on how the surgery went and how she was doing.

About six days ago, Melissa Gilbert, 56, shared on Instagram that she learned in 2019 that her third spinal fusion surgery had sadly failed to work. The surgery was originally done in 2016.

In April 2020, her doctor informed her that she would need a fourth surgery. The former “Little House on the Prairie” actress only had around 6 months to get the surgery but the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease complicated things.

Gilbert ended up waiting to get the procedure done for as long as she could. However, the pain she was experiencing had become almost constant and her right-hand fingers were starting to tingle.

So she finally went in to have the surgery despite the pandemic’s continued growth. On Friday, November 20, 2020, the star finally gave an update on her most recent spinal procedure revealing how it had gone “wildly successful.”

The star shared a photo of herself smiling at a hospital as she gave her update. The actress revealed that her doctor, Dr. Robert Bray, was able to remove all the previous hardware she’d had inserted in her.

Bray was actually the same doctor who worked on her first fusion after she broke her back in 2001. He is a neurological spine surgeon who has corrected spinal issues for several other celebrities.

Bray was also able to remove the bone spurs that were causing the numbness in the actress’s right hand. The doctor also gave Gilbert an artificial disc and now the star is just focusing on remaining COVID-19-free.

The star thanked her fans for the prayers, love, and support throughout her struggle, and sent all their love right back to them. She also wished her followers a Happy Thanksgiving as she shared her gratitude for her successful procedure.

Four years ago, the star opened up to “People” magazine about her health struggles with spine and neck issues. She needed surgery back then because of two herniated discs in her spine.

The procedure was required after Gilbert sustained neck injuries and two head injuries in 2012. Initially, the actress had a fall on “Dancing with the Stars” which left her suffering from a concussion and whiplash.

A few months later she suffered from a head injury after the balcony of a house she was renting collapsed over her head in Studio City, California. She ended up getting stitches in her head and suffered from two compressed discs in her neck.

In 2016, Gilbert was taking part in her campaign for Congress in Michigan’s 8th district. At the time, she announced she had to drop out due to a spinal injury that required surgery.