Co-host of NBC’s Today, Sheinelle Jones, has revealed that she underwent a successful vocal cord surgery on Monday. She said she was emotionally drained after the surgery.
Last week, the 41-year-old said she would undergo surgery to remove a polyp on her vocal cord, which was affecting her ability to speak.
On Monday night, she shared on Instagram that the hour-long surgery had gone well. She woke up trying to talk though will not have a voice for another couple of weeks.
Jones wrote, “I just wanted you to know that I’m okay, and to thank you for all of your messages and prayers. Apparently I emerged out of anesthesia ‘talking’ …. I was out of it… I just remember a male voice kindly but firmly telling me to ‘please stop talking.’☺️ At the time, I was trying to tell them that I was ‘awake’ and not to use the breathing tube yet lol — but clearly they were already finished.”
The Today co-host said she became emotional after the surgery and started to cry.
“Once I was alone in post-recovery … I started crying through my oxygen mask… the nurse rushed over and gave me a pen to scribble what was the matter,” she added. “Honestly, nothing was wrong — I think it was just a release … this has been a long time coming and I’ve struggled off and on for so long…. I also felt like I was wrapped in prayers …. it felt like such a powerful moment.”
“I remember when I was little I would see older people crying in church; my mom would explain that they were ‘moved’ and ‘rejoicing,’ with happy tears,” Jones continued. “That’s how I felt today… I literally felt the power of so many well wishes and prayers.”
The mother of three said she was relieved after the surgery.
“I was also, truth be told, thankful to be ‘awake’ …. I promised my kids that ‘mommy would be just fine’… and I was relieved I could keep my promise,” she wrote.
Jones may need at least six weeks to recover from the surgery, including the first two weeks with no voice.
“Now the work begins to heal,” she wrote. “The nurse kept telling me to ‘enjoy’ the rest… I had a hard time doing that, so clearly I have some work to do.”
Last week, Jones told PEOPLE that she needed the surgery after having issues with her voice for months.
She said, “It’s to the point where people at home have no idea what I do just to get ready for a show in the morning. When I get a call that I have to track a story early in the morning, I get up like 30 minutes early so I can do exercises on my throat just so that I don’t sound hoarse.”
