Former NBC Anchor Jenna Wolfe Reveals She Had a Hysterectomy: 'I'm a Little Scared'

"It's easy to ignore the hard things and opt for the comforts of safety. But safety never challenged anyone or scared anyone or pushed anyone down or pulled anyone up," Wolfe said

Photo: Jenna Wolfe/instagram

Former NBC anchor Jenna Wolfe revealed that she recently had a hysterectomy.

The former Today show correspondent opened up about the experience on Instagram Wednesday with photos of her in the hospital for the procedure and shared that she will undergo another surgery in two weeks.

"You know, for a long time, my approach to life was always: if you stumble, make it part of the dance. And until recently, I managed to stumble/dance/stumble/dance my way through everything… network television, personal training, parenting. Then I hit a pretty bumpy stretch, the most recent of which I wanted to share with you," began Wolfe, 49.

"About a month ago, I tested positive for the BRCA-1 breast cancer gene (meaning my chances of getting breast and ovarian cancer are… well… really high), leaving me little wiggle room to 'mull over my choices,' " she shared. "So without a ton of options, I stared down my fears, took a deep breath and opted for two pretty big surgeries."

Jenna Wolfe/instagram

"My hysterectomy is the first. It's not fun, not easy, not at all pleasant (I'm terrified of needles) but it's something I need to do," wrote Wolfe. "The second surgery, the bigger one, will be in 2 weeks. Happy to share more with anyone going through something similar."

According to the Mayo Clinic, a hysterectomy is "an operation that removes the uterus" through a cut in the abdomen.

"Something like this spins your head a few whirls. Am I going to be ok? Will I heal? Will I ever have the drive I once had?" the personal trainer said.

She continued, "I mean, a big chunk of my life is based around fitness and wellness. . I know I make it all look 'cute' on social media… but we all know it's usually far from cute. Especially with kids.

"Half the time, I'm up at 4:30am, sneaking in a quick workout before the kids get up, grabbing anything edible, racing to school, often times half dressed, most of the time half-witted."

Jenna Wolfe/instagram

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Wolfe wrote, "I'll admit I'm a little scared. (About a lot of things in my life right now.) But I also know I have to let myself be scared sometimes to learn how to overcome it.

"It's easy to ignore the hard things and opt for the comforts of safety. But safety never challenged anyone or scared anyone or pushed anyone down or pulled anyone up. Safety just sort of sits there, keeps you from moving… from growing, from thriving."

She continued, "These two surgeries are just the latest in what has been… let's call it a challenging two years for me. But with anything in life, the only way is through. And I'm going through.

"I realize everyone has a story. This is mine. (Well, it's part of mine). As I embark on it, I'll be thinking about you and yours," she concluded.

Wolfe and partner Stephanie Gosk welcomed daughter Harper Estelle, 9, in August 2013 and daughter Quinn Lily, 8, in February 2015.