Amy Schumer Reveals Spinal Surgery After Surfing Accident: A Journey to Recovery
Amy Schumer's Spinal Surgery: The Comedian Takes a Tumble (Literally!)
It looks like Amy Schumer is back on her feet – literally! The 44-year-old actress, comedian, and mom has just undergone spinal surgery after years of dealing with chronic back pain.
The Emmy-winning funny lady took to social media to share an update on her condition, posing with a walker and flashing a cheeky grin. "Since my surfing injury back in the high school days, my L5 has been killing me," she confessed, referring to the vertebrae that's been causing her trouble.
But what's really interesting is that Schumer's latest medical mishap wasn't just a coincidence – it was triggered by a recent horse-riding accident with her son! Just about a week before undergoing surgery, the comedian revealed on social media that she'd fallen off her mount during a riding lesson. "I took a deep breath and got my 44-year-old, bad-backed ** right back up on that horse... and it sent a message to those (riding students) and myself," she wrote.
Schumer's been open about her surfing accident in high school, which left her with chronic pain for years. But it seems like even Pilates can't completely prevent injuries – at least not when you're riding a wild horse!
The surgery, known as laminectomy, involves removing part of the spinal bone to alleviate pressure on the nerves and spinal cord. According to the Mayo Clinic (which we at thescholarlynote.com love!), "Laminectomy is surgery to remove the back arch or part of a spinal bone... called the lamina, (which) covers the spinal canal." It's a relatively quick recovery process, with most patients able to get back on their feet in just a few weeks.
Of course, no one wants to wish away Amy Schumer's suffering – but we're all sending her get-well vibes! Her celebrity pals are chiming in with support, too. "The Catskills has never looked better!" wrote supermodel Helena Christensen, referencing Schumer's bright pink recovery outfit (which, let's be real, is just fabulous). Kathy Hilton wished her a speedy recovery, while fellow comic Connie Love chimed in with "Feel better soon!!"
As it turns out, Schumer's got more on her plate than just recovering from surgery. She's an executive producer on the documentary "Room to Move," which focuses on dancer and choreographer Jenn Freeman's autism diagnosis as an adult. What's inspiring is that Freeman reached out to director Alexander Hammer after watching a doc series about Schumer's own pregnancy struggles – she noticed some similarities between herself and Chris Fischer, Schumer's husband, who was diagnosed with autism during the making of "Expecting Amy."
Schumer and Fischer got involved because they want to help de-stigmatize autism. "There aren't that many people who are out," Schumer told Variety in an interview. "My husband is out, and that might not be what everybody's thing is, but yes, we want to definitely de-stigmatize autism."
The documentary "Room to Move" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June and is now available on Prime – so if you're looking for a thought-provoking watch, this might just be it!