Katie Thurston is giving a glimpse into what the first few days after breast cancer surgery have actually been like.
The former Bachelorette, 35, underwent a double mastectomy on April 29 as part of her treatment for stage 4 breast cancer, which she previously said had spread to her liver.
Just days later, she returned to Instagram with her first update, a photo from a hospital bed, sharing how she’s feeling in the immediate aftermath.
Katie Thurston Shares Recovery Update After Double Mastectomy
GettyIn a May 2 Instagram post, Thurston didn’t try to sugarcoat the experience.
“The first 24 hours are a blur,” she wrote alongside a photo of her in a hospital bed with a French fry in hand. “All I know is I wanted fries despite feeling like I would throw up at any minute.”
She added another detail that made it clear how early she is in recovery.
“Currently I’m wrapped in bandages with drains,” she wrote. “No idea what my body looks like.”
The update was brief, but direct. It focused less on medical specifics and more on what the moment actually feels like—disorienting, uncomfortable, and still very much in progress.
“It’s not talked enough about how you lose your feeling/sensations,” she wrote. “And I think this is a big piece for quality of life and feeling as most ‘me’ that I can.”
She also used the post to thank the people around her.
“The biggest shoutout to my amazing husband [Jeff Arcuri] who continues to love me softly and gently and be by my side through this chapter,” Thurston added.
In a follow-up Instagram Story on May 3, Thurston shared a small milestone.
“First walk today,” she wrote. “Surprised how hard it actually was.”
She also answered a question from her DMs about where she’s recovering and what the next few days look like.
“Yes recovering here until drains get removed. Then we’ll fly back to NYC. As of now, we are hoping drains come out on [May 7].”
For now, she remains in San Francisco as she continues to heal before traveling home.
Why Katie Thurston Underwent Cancer Surgery
GettyThurston first shared her diagnosis in 2025, revealing that she had stage 4 breast cancer that had spread to her liver.
Since then, she has been open about her treatment and the decisions she’s had to make along the way.
In a March Instagram video, she explained why she chose to move forward with surgery.
“I have opted for a double mastectomy, and I’ve been approved to have a double mastectomy,” she said.
She also shared some insight with People.
“I want to do everything I can to increase my chances,” she told the outlet.
Another update was about how the cancer responded to treatment.
“It had spread to my liver ever so slightly. However, it cleared up fairly quickly once I started treatment,” she said.
Throughout the process, Thurston has continued to share updates that focus on both the physical and emotional side of her experience.
“I refuse to call it a terminal illness,” she told People. “No one is promised tomorrow. Why waste the days I’ve been given stressing about death?”
