Kathie Lee Gifford is recovering after experiencing a fall that resulted in fractures to her pelvis in two areas.
In an interview with People magazine on Tuesday, Gifford revealed that she needed to remain in the hospital for a week undergoing physical therapy after the incident. At the time of her fall, the former “Today” show co-host was still recuperating from hip replacement surgery when she “simply tripped.”
Gifford recounted to the magazine that just a day before her fall, she “moved 300 books by myself” at a book signing event in Nashville, Tennessee. “I overexerted myself,” she admitted.
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Kathie Lee Gifford fell while recovering from hip replacement surgery and was hospitalized for a week. (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)
“It’s my own fault,” Gifford continued.
The day after the incident, one of Gifford’s friends came to visit her at her residence.
“It’s my own fault.”
“It didn’t take much because I was weak in that area,” Gifford explained. “And suddenly, I’m back in the hospital with a fractured pelvis: both front and back. It’s more painful than anything I’ve dealt with regarding the hip. The pelvis pain is unimaginable. But here I am, dealing with it.”
Gifford described the whole situation as “humbling,” expressing that she chose to remain in the hospital for a week as she didn’t “trust” herself during recovery.
Kathie Lee Gifford fractured her pelvis in two areas during her fall. (Getty Images)
“You think you understand your body, but it changes as you age,” she remarked. “And even though I prefer not to dwell on it, it’s a reality I face.”
Gifford reflected, “It’s summer for everyone else but me. But that’s alright. I’ll make it to my little farm one of these days and enjoy my salt pool. The Lord seems to be advising me to slow down. I’ve been in constant motion my entire life. It’s time to take a moment and appreciate the beautiful roses I’ve planted.”
Earlier this month, Gifford mentioned the agony of recovering from her hip replacement surgery, calling it “one of the most painful experiences” of her life.
Kathie Lee Gifford characterized her hip replacement surgery as a “humbling” journey. (Photo by: Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
She added, “It’s been extremely challenging.”
After her surgery, Gifford “jumped off that gurney” following my surgery, but soon realized that her body was not as capable of keeping up as her mind had thought.
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“I was active, I was climbing, I was moving, and then my doctor said, ‘Kathie, hold on. You really need to recognize the seriousness of this,'” she recalled.
Kathie Lee Gifford stated that she was “off my walker in two days.” (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
Gifford proudly declared that she was “off my walker in just two days” and had discontinued all her medications in three days, although “then I overdid it. I simply did too much because that’s my nature.”
“I started moving books around, signing, and preparing, and soon enough, my grandchildren came to visit,” she mentioned.
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“And you simply can’t. I have come to realize that there are limits to what you can manage. You’re only human. And I feel so grateful.”
Kathie Lee Gifford has no regrets regarding her hip replacement surgery. (Getty Images)
Her surgery was essential as Gifford acknowledged that her “hips [were] worn down to the bone,” a condition that doctors attributed to her remarkably active lifestyle.
“You climbed mountains, starred in films, performed on stages. You rarely took off your high heels, and that’s why you’re facing these challenges,” she recalled doctors saying.
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Despite these challenges, Gifford expresses no regret over her need for surgery or the grueling recovery journey she endured.
Kathie Lee Gifford gained prominence in the early 1980s. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
“[I wonder] would I change that? No, I was fulfilling the purpose God set for me on this Earth. Each year, I was doing what He intended me to do,” she reflected.
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In the early 1980s, she started her career as a correspondent for “Good Morning America,” and in 1985, she began co-hosting “The Morning Show” in New York City with Regis Philbin. Three years later, the program rolled out nationally as “Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee,” solidifying her status as a household name.
Fox News Digital’s Emily Trainham contributed to this report.
