According to an Instagram post by Katherine Heigl, she just undergone a serious neck surgery. She didn’t go into great detail about why she underwent the surgery, but she did mention that it required inserting two titanium discs in her neck.

Katherine posted three images from her hospital stay in a slideshow, including one of her wearing a brace in her hospital room and an image of an X-ray that showed her neck before and after treatment.

She wrote, “Well…I am now bionic!! Two titanium disk now inhabit my neck and I can probably stand on my head for like hours… I’m not gonna try it just yet but give me a few months and I’ll blow your mind!!”

“I am so deeply deeply grateful to the incredible Dr’s and care team that saved me from the most excruciating pain I have ever experienced and blessed me with a new pain free lease on life!” the Ugly Truth actress said.

‘I really feel like they deserve a big giant shoutout of gratitude and appreciation so I’m gonna give it to them! @thebackdoctorapp thank you for treating me like a human being and giving me so much of your time and attention to help me truly understand what to expect and what all my options were,’ she continues.

‘Thank you for your tremendous talent and expertise and for saving my neck! @cedarssinai in Marina del ray thank you for your incredible and compassionate care and attention!’

Heigl continued by expressing thanks to the medical team: “Heading into surgery and hospital stays is always a bit scary and you guys could not have made me feel more comfortable or taken care of! Thank you thank you thank you!!”

She said in closing: “Oh and HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY! Clearly I’ve been blessed with the luck of the Irish today! ☘️”

(Picture: Katherine Heigl/Instagram)

Although the specific reason Heigl had the discs implanted is unknown, SELF previously said that artificial discs like this may be used to replace worn-out or damaged discs in the spine. Normally, these discs serve as a kind of padding between the vertebrae. They have a jelly-like interior enclosed by a tougher outer. However, the discs have the potential to tear or burst, enabling some of that inside goo to flow out. A herniated disc is a painful condition that may emerge from an accident or from regular wear and tear over time.

According to the Mayo Clinic, surgery is usually not necessary for persons with disc-related neck discomfort. Physical therapy together with pain medication is often effective in reducing pain. However, in extreme cases, surgery can be the sole choice to provide relief.

Katherine had assistance from more than just her medical staff. She posted a video of her husband, musician Josh Kelley, having fun in the doctor’s office on Instagram on March 12 and captioned it, ” “Another @joshbkelley gem. This is definitely the guy you want by your side during a health crisis. Though…I don’t think I’d bring him to the OB with me. Those jokes would just be too far.”

Heigl admitted to The Washington Post that she had anxiety after being called “difficult” early in her career before talking about her recent operation.

“The more I said I was sorry, the more they wanted it,” she said. “The more terrified and scared I was of doing something wrong, the more I came across like I had really done something horribly wrong.”

The actor from Firefly Lane now feels lot more at ease expressing her emotions.

“I’ve grown into accepting that ambition is not a dirty word, and that it doesn’t make me less of a feminine, loving, nurturing woman to be ambitious and have big dreams and big goals,” Heigl said. “It’s easier to be happy because I have a little more gentleness for myself.”