Kathy Griffin penned an empowering message Wednesday to let her fans know she’s on the road to recovery following surgery to address Stage 1 lung cancer, during which half of her left lung was removed.
“To be honest, this cancer surgery was a little more than I had anticipated,” the 60-year-old comic wrote on Twitter. “Tonight will be my first night without any narcotic pain killers. Hello Tylenol, my new best friend!”
The comedian recently opened up in an interview with ABC News about recovering from a painkiller addiction, and a suicide attempt — both of which she addressed in her Twitter update.
“The last time I was in a hospital it was June 2020 when I tried to take my life and overdosed on prescription pills,” she wrote. “With over a year clean and drug free, I now know I can do this and anything I want without those devil pills. Y’know what? I fear drugs and addiction more than I fear cancer. So, I think I’ll be okay.”
“Surgery went well and as planned,” Griffin’s rep said in a statement to Good Morning America following the procedure. “Kathy is now in recovery now and resting. Doctors say the procedure was normal without any surprises.”
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 [TALK] for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also reach the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or the Crisis Text Line by texting “START” to 741741.
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