Kathie Lee Gifford was recently hospitalized following a fall while recovering from hip replacement surgery. The 70-year-old former Today co-host told she fractured her pelvis in two places and spent over a week in the hospital for physical therapy.
Gifford explained that she strained her body by moving 300 books during signings in Nashville, admitting, "It's my own fault." The following day, while hurrying to answer the door for a friend, she tripped. "It didn't take much because I was weak in that spot," she said. "The next thing you know, I am back in the hospital with a fractured pelvis, the front and the back. That's more painful than anything I went through with the hip. The pelvis is unbelievably painful. But anyway, here I am."
Describing the experience as "humbling," Gifford chose to remain in the hospital for a full week because she didn't trust herself at home. "You think you know your body, and the next thing you know, your body changes when you get older," she reflected. "And as much as I don't wanna think about it, I am."
Despite the setback, Gifford remains hopeful. "It's summer for everybody but me," she said. "But it's OK. I'm going to get out to my little farm one of these days and stick my feet in my salt pool. The Lord is telling me it's time to slow down. I've been running my whole life. The Lord is telling me, 'You've planted a gazillion roses. Try smelling them.'"
Earlier this month, Gifford shared that her hip replacement surgery and recovery have been among the most painful experiences of her life. "It's been really hard," she admitted. The surgery was necessary due to her active lifestyle, which included climbing mountains, making movies, performing on stages, and always wearing high heels. Her surgeon explained that her relentless pace contributed to her current condition.
Despite the challenges, Gifford has no regrets about living life to the fullest. "[I ask myself] would I change that? No, I was doing what God put me on this earth to do. Every year of it, I was doing what He called me to do," she said.
Her hospitalization hasn't stopped her from celebrating the release of her new book, "Herod and Mary: The True Story of the Tyrant King and the Mother of the Risen Savior." The historical nonfiction book offers insights into how Herod came to power, the corruption and ancient evil threatening the nation's stability, and how a teenage Mary overcame obstacles to bring Jesus into the world.
Gifford revealed that the idea for the book came during a rabbinical trip to Israel a few years ago, and her son Cody convinced her that these stories needed to be told to provide people with hope.
"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," Gifford told. "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."
The Quran - Chapter At-Taghabun : 09
˹Consider˺ the Day He will gather you ˹all˺ for the Day of Gathering—that will be the Day of mutual loss and gain. So whoever believes in Allah and does good, He will absolve them of their sins and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow, to stay there for ever and ever. That is the ultimate triumph.
