Pat Sajak Says the “Worst Has Passed” After His Emergency Intestinal Surgery
Longtime Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak is doing well after a taping of the game show was canceled due to his emergency intestinal surgery.
“I’m so grateful for all the good wishes during my recent illness,” Sajak wrote on Twitter after his procedure in November. “Happy to say that the worst has passed.”
Wheel of Fortune hostess Vanna White is temporarily filling in during his absence, but Sajak has confirmed that he is already “back in the studio taping.”
Longtime Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak says he’s doing well after a taping of the show was canceled due to his emergency intestinal surgery. “I’m so grateful for all the good wishes during my recent illness,” Sajak wrote on Twitter shortly after his procedure. “Happy to say that the worst has passed, and I’ll be out of the hospital in a day [or] two.”
Sajak, 73, also tweeted that his surgery “was a total success with absolutely no after effects expected.” Representatives for Wheel of Fortune announced on Twitter that Sajak was in the hospital due to “emergency surgery to correct a blocked intestine.”
I’m happy to say that my surgery was a total success with absolutely no after effects expected. But the best news is that when I came out of the operating room, I was 63 years old! #10MoreYearsOfWheel
— Pat Sajak (@patsajak) November 12, 2019
To make up for the absence, Wheel of Fortune hostess Vanna White is temporarily filling in for him. “Then back to work (unless @TheVannaWhite has completely taken over!)” he wrote.
Sajak and Wheel of Fortune haven’t offered up many details on his illness, but recovery from this kind of surgery generally takes anywhere form a few days to a week, says Rudolph Bedford, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. After surgery, a patient will usually start off on a clear liquid diet and “will advance slowly back to a regular diet,” Dr. Bedford says. After a week or so, they can get back to work. “The post-surgical restrictions are mostly on heavy lifting and strenuous exercise.”
The beloved game show host confirmed on Dec. 5 that he’s already “back in the studio taping,” and that White will continue to host the show the through the week of Jan. 6.
It’s a bit confusing, but here’s the deal: Vanna will be hosting this coming week and the next. Then two weeks of shows I taped before my surgery. Then Vanna again the week of Jan. 6 with a special guest at the puzzle board. Then the planets will realign, and it’s back to normal.
— Pat Sajak (@patsajak) December 7, 2019
Wheel of Fortune recently tweeted a clip of what things look like with White doing hosting duties, while White poked a little fun at the swap. “Wheel of Fortune without @patsajak is like a word without vowels. I’ll fill in the blanks until you return. Rest up and we’ll be solving puzzles in no time. (Don’t worry, your job is safe! Well, pretty safe.),” she wrote on Twitter.
Wheel of Fortune without @patsajak is like a word without vowels. I’ll fill in the blanks until you return. Rest up and we’ll be solving puzzles in no time. (Don’t worry, your job is safe! Well, pretty safe.) pic.twitter.com/pqUG3J3peH
— Vanna White (@TheVannaWhite) November 12, 2019
In the meantime, Sajak has plenty of people wishing him a speedy recovery and return to the show online.
I love Vanna but I miss Pat already!!
— Roc (@RokRan) December 10, 2019
Great job Vanna! When Pat returns we would love to see him do your job!😆
— Robin Brink (@robeen61) December 10, 2019
Love her! She'll do great! Get well soon @patsajak!!!
— Linda Moore (@lindee1364) December 10, 2019
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