Jo Dee Messina's mother is undergoing heart surgery this morning (April 25). According to the singer's Facebook and Twitter accounts, her mother needs the operation to save her life.

Messina informed fans of her mother's major surgery Wednesday night (April 24) when she posted a long Facebook status detailing why the procedure is necessary and how scared she is. According to the update, a heart surgeon told Messina that her mother would likely die if she opted not to have the procedure.

"I told [the surgeon] to realize, 'When you're in there and have my mother's heart in your hands, you will have my heart in your hands too,'" she wrote.

Messina added that her mother asked to spend the evening before her open heart surgery alone, but her children had different plans. Jo Dee and her siblings ignored the request and spent Wednesday evening together at the hospital.

According to Facebook, the procedure was scheduled for 7:30AM today (April 25), and Messina updated her Twitter account around that time to inform fans that things were moving along as scheduled.

So far, there's no word on Messina's mother's progress -- but the 'Unbreakable' hitmaker is asking for kind thoughts and prayers from her followers.

It's been a difficult two weeks for the Messina family. The country singer used social media to ask for prayers for Boston and Watertown, Mass., residents after the Boston Marathon bombings last Monday. Messina has family in Watertown, and her cousin was running just a few blocks away from the explosions during the Marathon. Fortunately, the Messina family made it through the attack and the subsequent manhunt unharmed.

Update: Messina's mother remains in intensive care and doctors are struggling to wake her up before removing a breathing tube. "She is hooked up to every machine possible," the singer shared on Facebook. "My sister and I almost couldn't walk in. I couldn't recognize my Mother mixed into all the wires, machines, IVs and the breathing tube, it's scary as hell."

Messina has a show scheduled for tonight (April 26) but will be back in Nashville, by her mother's side this weekend.

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