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Natalie Githinji recounts ICU scare after surgery for endometriosis and ovarian cysts
31st August, 2026 07:22 PM
Media personality Natalie Githinji has opened up about a frightening health scare that saw her undergo surgery for endometriosis and ovarian cysts before being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
In an emotional account issued on Monday, August 31, 2026, Natalie said her health had deteriorated in the three months leading up to the surgery, with severe fatigue and loss of appetite leaving her struggling to carry out her daily activities.
“This year, on Monday the 17th, my body betrayed me. The last three months my body ilikua imeanza ku behave very bad but nili notice kiasi na mathee aka notice. “Mum akaniambia ‘Hauko poa mtoto wangu, umeisha sana na hukuli, nikamshow niko poa mum, but fatigue was killing me na ata appetite ilikua rumours,” Natalie said.
Natalie said her energy levels had dropped significantly, at times making it difficult for her to get through the day.
“Nikaanza kuamka 3pm niende job na nafaa kua job iyo 3pm, nikiingia kwa lift after work, lazima ninge squat because my energy was 0, nikaanza kukosa ata interest ya kukaa poa but I used to push kukua poa,” she said.
She added that she had also stopped eating properly.
“Nikaanza kukaa pale, nakula ngumuu nusu morning na super, and that’s it na kachai, that’s my whole day meal,” Natalie added.
Overian cysts discovery
The media personality further went on to say that she went into theatre on Monday, August 17, expecting surgery for endometriosis to take about three hours.
However, doctors discovered ovarian cysts during the procedure, which she said were in bad condition, forcing them to carry out additional treatment.
“Monday 17th, Nikaenda Theatre, Jioni. I guess around 3pm, surgery was supposed to take roughly 3 hrs…unfortunately in the middle of surgery ya endo, they found niko ovarian cysts in a bad condition,” she recalled.
“So imagine izo ni kama tu two procedures for ovarian cysts alafu wakaanza sasa kutafuta endo wakitoa wueh, 3 hrs zilipita, uzuri I had told my family, give the doctors 6 hrs, enough time for my family not to panic.”
She said the procedure ended up taking much longer than she had anticipated.
“Sijui walai nilitoka what time surgery? Maybe usiku, ata sijai uliza but ilitake long sana,” she added.
ICU admission
After the surgery, Natalie said she was not in good condition and was taken to the ICU.
“I wasn’t that good, so nikapelekwa ICU, whatever happened, usiku mzima sijui, all I was told is that watu hawakua poa kabisaaa at all at all was my mum and Laura. My sisters and my nephew Pia Walikua, but everybody panicked so bad,” Natalie stated.
Additionally, she said she later learnt that her family had been deeply worried as they waited for news about her endometriosis condition.
“My mum na Laura walilia tu sana karibu wachizi hawa aki ya nani, niliambiwa haikua l scene poa aki,” she disclosed.
Post ICU admission
Natalie said she has little memory of what happened immediately after the surgery but recalled waking up to the sound of machines in the ICU.
“Sikumbuki when I woke up…but I think ilikua the next day…nikaskia those ICU machines zikilia tu sana…so nikaamka ata sijui, which nurse alikua na mimi…nikamuuliza ‘Niko wapi?’ akaniambia ‘ICU’ wueh!” she recalled.
She said she went back to sleep, believing at the time that she might not survive the ordeal.
“Nikarudi tu kulala and walai on God nikajua its over…siku yangu ndio hii na ninadedi iyo day…na that’s the end of my journey nikalala ata sikulia i swear down,” she narrated.
When she woke up again, Natalie said she saw medical equipment attached to her body.
“I woke up later, wacha nione wires kwa kifua, that stuff ya kupima blood pressure ata haitolewi kwa mkono yangu na another kathing kwa kidole,” Natalie added.
While still under medication, she recalled overhearing someone say that her heartbeat was low.
“Then Nikiwa under Izo drugs nikaskia mtu akisema ‘Heartbeat yake iko chini kiasi,’ nikasema ndio iyo walai, nikasema acha sasa i wait for my angels to come, bora wakue na wings za my favourite colours,” she stated.
Natalie’s account has shed light on the frightening ordeal she faced after months of struggling with fatigue and poor appetite, culminating in a lengthy surgery and an unexpected stay in the ICU.
