William & Kate 3

[Baxter]

Two weeks seems like a really long time in the hospital. Even if she was having something fairly major done, you'd think that she would want to get home as soon as possible and would arrange for extra care at home. It must be something really serious unless the doctors are just saying it is two weeks right now just in case but really they expect her to go home much sooner. 

[TN-peach]

1 minute ago, QuiverFullofBooks said:

Is it likely to be a hysterectomy, or is two weeks in the hospital too much for that?

Too long.  Even if not laparoscopic, I think most total hysterectomy from open abdominal surgery stays are more like 3-4 days at most. 

A lot of hysterectomies are laparoscopic or vaginal now which makes recovery much easier.

I am thinking bowels, hernias, type of surgery where they are watching for an infection but that is just pure speculation.

[viii]

A hysterectomy would never require a two week stay. 

My sister is a surgical RN in the OR and she says based off the information given and the length of recovery stay, she suspects a colectomy, or something similar in nature. 

[zygote373]

I know of someone who donated a piece of their liver and the hospital stay was a little over a week, and it was several months of recovery before the liver grew back. I doubt the royal family would choose to be out of commission for organ donation, but it could be a surgery for a liver-related health issue?

[Jackie3]

It's interesting that KP did not say "She is expected to make a full recovery."  Of course that may be implied.

[Coconut Flan]

32 minutes ago, viii said:

A hysterectomy would never require a two week stay. 

My sister is a surgical RN in the OR and she says based off the information given and the length of recovery stay, she suspects a colectomy, or something similar in nature. 

Yep.  The doctors tell you anywhere from 7 to 14 days and hope you'll be home sooner.  That also fits with Kate not being seen since Christmas and the long time off duty afterwards.   

[moreorlessnu]

Around 2000, I had open abdominal surgery (removal of something non-cancerous). My stay in a US hospital was 5 days, and 2 full months (maybe more?) out of work (desk job). My neighbor had a vaginal hysterectomy shortly after my surgery. I was surprised that she was out and about, going out to lunch maybe a week or 2 after her surgery, while I still could not stand up straight.

I remember being totally shocked (but happy for her!) as she gaily sauntered off to brunch, wearing a flowy flowered dress, with a matching hat, while I was hunched over, not able to sleep in my bed (for several weeks) because of the aforementioned not being able to stand up straight. 

We both recovered just fine. 

 

[TN-peach]

If it is related to her digestive system, I imagine her engagements will be very regulated in the future.  As someone with IBS, I am always looking for bathrooms and no one cares if I have to escape at a moments notice but it won't be the same for her.  I also had my gallbladder removed and that required some very minor (compared to what she might have to do) adjustments to my diet and also just getting used to having something missing.  (I 100% do not recommend gallbladder attacks. Not fun. I can't imagine the pain Catherine must be having to have such a major surgery.)

[Giraffe]

My speculation ranges from tummy tuck, hysterectomy with significant adhesions to an unplanned pregnancy that needed termination, to something potentially life-threatening or life-altering. 

[moreorlessnu]

I'm speculating she'll eventually share what it is.

The details that have been thus far shared (i.e., length of stay in the hospital, recuperation time, etc.) could have been kept private, and also indicate her condition is something pretty serious. Would anyone have known (who was able to share that information) if she stayed in the hospital 2 days or 2 weeks? 

She may want privacy now, but may plan on making it one of her causes once she has recuperated. 

[Jackie3]

A friend had a double masectomy and reconstruction and I believe she was out of work for quite a while. I hope it's not that, but it may fit the timeline (I know they are saying its noncancerous).

Perhaps this explains her extremely light workload during the last year. And her thinness. 

[Melbelle]

In the wild speculation category, I submit the possibility of a kidney transplant. If she received a kidney that would be an abdominal surgery. They place the new kidney in your lower abdomen, near your bladder. The hospital stay afterwards is 7-10 days in the US, so the UK could be slightly longer. (Barring any additional complications.) And it requires a long period of time afterwards to recuperate, make sure the medications are working, and the kidney does not reject. I think this is highly unlikely because I think she would have highlighted kidney issues previously if she knew about them and they aren’t super common to come along quickly. But nevertheless, the information we have now does match that type of surgery. 

[louisa05]

2 hours ago, Giraffe said:

My speculation ranges from tummy tuck, hysterectomy with significant adhesions to an unplanned pregnancy that needed termination, to something potentially life-threatening or life-altering. 

She has no tummy to tuck. And she would likely have a purely elective surgery in summer when Royals take a break and  engagements would not have to be canceled. 

3 minutes ago, Melbelle said:

In the wild speculation category, I submit the possibility of a kidney transplant. If she received a kidney that would be an abdominal surgery. They place the new kidney in your lower abdomen, near your bladder. The hospital stay afterwards is 7-10 days in the US, so the UK could be slightly longer. (Barring any additional complications.) And it requires a long period of time afterwards to recuperate, make sure the medications are working, and the kidney does not reject. I think this is highly unlikely because I think she would have highlighted kidney issues previously if she knew about them and they aren’t super common to come along quickly. But nevertheless, the information we have now does match that type of surgery. 

She has not appeared at all ill. I think it’s safe to say she’s not having an organ transplant. 

[tabitha2]

If it was a pregnancy related matter that required surgery we will never hear about that and nor should we. 

 

 

[Jackie3]

14 hours ago, louisa05 said:

She has not appeared at all ill. I think it’s safe to say she’s not having an organ transplant. 

What if she is donating a kidney to someone? That is a long recovery.

 

13 hours ago, tabitha2 said:

If it was a pregnancy related matter that required surgery we will never hear about that and nor should we. 

 

 

Also, why would we want to? 

 

16 hours ago, moreorlessnu said:

The details that have been thus far shared (i.e., length of stay in the hospital, recuperation time, etc.) could have been kept private, and also indicate her condition is something pretty serious. Would anyone have known (who was able to share that information) if she stayed in the hospital 2 days or 2 weeks? 

 

Honestly, I don't think anyone would have missed her. She doesn't do a lot of engagements. Maybe it's because she's been ill, or maybe she doesn't want to. Who knows?

[Four is Enough]

My guess    is hysterectomy and possible oophorectomy (removal of ovaries) and lysis of adhesions all over the abdomen from endometriosis. Long surgery, long recovery.

[Father Son Holy Goat]

6 hours ago, viii said:

A hysterectomy would never require a two week stay. 

My sister is a surgical RN in the OR and she says based off the information given and the length of recovery stay, she suspects a colectomy, or something similar in nature. 

Why would someone need a colectomy? 

[Jackie3]

51 minutes ago, Father Son Holy Goat said:

Why would someone need a colectomy? 

I guess if she has colon cancer or some other colon issue? 

[prayawaythefundie]

3 hours ago, tabitha2 said:

If it was a pregnancy related matter that required surgery we will never hear about that and nor should we. 

 

 

Pregnancy related or not - whether we will ever hear about it or not should be her choice only. It won‘t be though. Many sickening comments online already.

Wild guessing is one thing, press camping outside the hospital is another. Let‘s just hope there won‘t be another incident like the one with the nurse who was tricked into sharing information and took her own life as a result when Kate was first pregnant with George.

Edited January 18 by prayawaythefundie

[Father Son Holy Goat]

The more I think about this the more obvious it is that this wasn’t planned very far in advance 

[noseybutt]

Yeah, this seems very serious and, regardless of my feelings about the royal family, I wish her the very best. 

[Lollipopgirl]

12 hours ago, Father Son Holy Goat said:

Why would someone need a colectomy? 

Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis or Diverticulitis would be possibilities although she would have been feeling very unwell with any of those and I’m not sure that’s been the case unless she’s hidden it well. Very mysterious but they’ve just released a statement saying she’s recovering well.

[viii]

Any of those are a strong possibility. Kate does very little actual work and perhaps finally has a reason for it. 

[TN-peach]

When Sophie had an ectopic pregnancy and emergency surgery before Loiuse was born, the Royal Family announced it.  So they have been known to announce those type of announcements before.

 

As far as recovery and post-surgery, I hope for her sake it is the total hysterectomy with removal of lesions, etc.  Post surgery her health with recover greatly.  A colectemy is a lifetime of further complications and lifestyle changes. 

[moreorlessnu]

One of the first things that came to mind, given the length of hospital stay and recuperation was the Whipple procedure...But then they did say it was non-cancerous...