The 70-year-old talked to People magazine and shared that she suffered a fractured pelvis in two places and was hospitalized for over a week for physical therapy

Kathie Lee Gifford is opening up about a fall she suffered recently that left her hospitalized. The TV host says she was recovering from a hip replacement surgery at the time, which made her more vulnerable during the accident.

The 70-year-old talked to People magazine and shared that she suffered a fractured pelvis in two places and was hospitalized for over a week for physical therapy because of the fall. The former Today Show co-host said that moving 300 books by herself during her recent book signings “weakened” her body. The following day, as she was getting picked up by friends, she rushed on her way out and tripped.

“It didn’t take much, because I was weak in that spot,” Kathie said. “And 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.”

Kathie fractured her pelvis in two places and was hospitalized for over a week ( 
Image:
Cody Gifford)
She said she opted to stay in the hospital for a full week after the accident because she didn’t trust herself to be alone as she recovered. The journalist says the experience has been humbling and made her more aware of her age and how her body is changing as she gets older.

Still, Kathie is staying optimistic and using this opportunity to rest. She might not be able to enjoy the summer like everyone else as she recovers, but she says going to her farm and sticking her feel in her pool will be enough. She said: “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.’ ”

Kathie had an 11-year run with Hoda Kotb, on the fourth hour of NBC’s Today show ( 
Image:
NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

The news of the recent injury comes after she recently underwent hip replacement surgery. Kathie said that her active lifestyle, wearing high heels and climbing mountains were to blame, calling the medical procedure the “most painful” experience of her life.

While she is physically recovering, Kathie is also still in full promo mode for the release of her book Herod and Mary: The True Story of the Tyrant King and the Mother of the Risen Savior on July 16.

She has written other books like The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi: My Journey into the Heart of Scriptural Faith and the Land Where It All Began and It’s Never Too Late: Make the Next Act of Your Life the Best Act of Your Life.