Former TV Host Reveals “Most Painful” Surgery And Recovery
The former Today host, 70, is in recovery mode and says “It’s been really hard.” Her hip pain was so bad, even the doctor told her it was one of the worst cases he had even seen.
After the surgery she realized she needed to slow down after she “jumped off the gurney.”
“I walked, I climbed, I walked, and my doctor said, ‘Kathie, no. You have got to realize that this is serious. And I was off my walker in two days. I was off all my medications in three days, and then I did too much. I just did too much because that’s who I am.”
““I started carrying books around and signing and getting ready, and my grandchildren came to visit. And you can’t. I have learned from this that you only can only do so much. You’re just human. You’re just human. And I’m so grateful.”
View this post on Instagram
She said she needed a hip replacement because her hips were worn down. The Today host attributes this to her active lifestyle. She said the surgeon told her You climbed mountains, you made movies, you got on stages. You never took off your high heels, and you kept going and that’s why you’re going through what you’re going through.”
As she recovers, she is getting ready to release her book on July 16 called Herod and Mary: The True Story of the Tyrant King and the Mother of the Risen Savior. This book is a religious historical nonfiction book. She was inspired on a trip to Israel and decided to write this book.
Gifford says the idea for the book came to her while on a trip in Israel a few years ago. She feels called to tell the story. She told PEOPLE,
“I don’t know how much time the Lord has me still on this earth, but for whatever time it is I pray that I would be useful… that I would be kind and helpful, and loving to people. I am a strong woman, but I’m a woman who for 60 years has been trying to do godly work, trying to do the right thing, trying to love people, [and] trying to represent the kingdom of God.”
Kathie Lee Gifford is best known for her 15-year run on the talk show “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee,” which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin from 1985 to 2000.
View this post on Instagram
After leaving “Live,” she continued her career in television, joining NBC’s “Today” show in 2008 as a co-host alongside Hoda Kotb. This segment became popular for its lighthearted and spontaneous format.
Beyond her television work, Gifford is a successful author, with several books to her name. She has also pursued a career in music. Gifford has been recognized for her contributions to television with multiple awards, including Daytime Emmy Awards. Her personal life, including her marriage to the late NFL player Frank Gifford, has also been of public interest.