Kathie Lee Gifford Says Recent Hip Surgery Was 1 of the Most ‘Painful Situations’ of Her Life

Kathie Lee Gifford opened up about her difficult recovery from a recent hip replacement surgery.

Kathie Lee, 70, shared that undergoing the surgery was “one of the most painful situations” of her “entire life” during an interview with People on Tuesday, July 16.

“It’s been really hard,” she told the outlet, adding that she “jumped off that gurney” after the surgery before doctors advised her to rest.

The Live With Regis and Kathie Lee alum admitted that she hoped the surgery and recovery would be “easy.” However, she quickly realized things needed time to heal before she could go back to her normal routine.

“I walked, I climbed, I walked and my doctor said, ‘Kathie, no. You have got to realize that this is serious,’” Kathie Lee said. “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.”

The former Today star said that it was quite an adjustment to take a step back from her very active lifestyle and busy schedule on her doctor’s orders.

“I started carrying books around and signing and getting ready, and my grandchildren came to visit,” she added. “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.”

Kathie Lee is a mother to kids Cody and Cassidy Gifford, whom she shares with late husband Frank Gifford. She is a grandmother to Cody’s two sons, Frankie and Ford, with Erika Gifford, and Cassidy’s son, Finn, with Ben Wierda.

Kathie Lee just released her new book, Herod and Mary: The True Story of the Tyrant King and the Mother of the Risen Savior. She revealed how she came up with the idea for the book.

“In 2012, I came back from my first rabbinical visit to Israel,” Kathie Lee told Closer earlier this month. “Unless you’re truly studying what the word of God actually says, you’ll never have any comprehension of what it means. It changed my whole life. When I got home from that first trip, my son said, ‘Mom, why don’t you write books based on biblical history?’ I thought it was an amazing idea.”

She also opened up about leaning on her strong Christian faith all throughout her career.

“I knew from the moment I was born that I was being called into [entertainment]. God gave me a boldness, and that’s why I was there,” she reflected. “I was never afraid to talk about Him. And every time I did, the ratings went up! Nobody ever said I couldn’t talk about it.”

And as she continues to recover from her surgery, Kathie Lee is grateful for all of the rewarding things she’s gotten to experience over the years, from TV stardom to being a grandparent.

“There’s not a day in my life where I don’t go somewhere and five people will come up and say, ‘I’ve watched you my whole life. Thank you so much.’ That brings me joy,” the singer-songwriter said. “What matters in life is the people you’ve touched and the people you’ve changed.”