Ailing Aretha Franklin 'Hanging in There' Says a Former Bandmate

Aretha Franklin is still very ill, but one of her bandmates has hope she will pull through.

Franklin's bassist for the 30 years, Ralphe Armstrong, recently visited and delivered flowers to Franklin on Friday. He also has remained in contact with her family since, talking to them on Tuesday.

Armstrong was a bit optimistic about the icon's health, noting that she is fighting the illness with everything she can.

"She's in bad shape but she's a fighter," Armstrong told PEOPLE. "She doesn't talk about her illness, she's a strong person of faith. She gets a little depressed but she's a person of faith."

As far as the timeline of Franklin's illness, he says that her health took a turn for the worse on Saturday and it has been a rash of good and bad days since.

"She was hanging in there, up talking and reading the paper a couple weeks ago," Armstrong said. "She's had a downturn just Saturday. Last week she was cussing people out. ... It's day by day with her. She had a good day yesterday. She's been doing a lot of sleeping."

The bassist added that he is "not giving up on her yet" and has hopes that God will intervene.

"It's in God's hands," he said.

The last official word on Franklin's condition came from her publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn. Quinn confirmed Franklin is "seriously ill" and her family is by her side.

"Aretha Franklin has been the Matriarch of the Franklin family since the passing of all of her siblings," Quinn said. "The love she has for her family is above reproach and was evident in the warm smiles she was able to share with her nephew during his very brief visit two weeks ago. She is seriously ill and surrounded by family members who appreciate the outpouring of love and support they have received."

Other reports have suggested that Franklin is in hospice care, with family told "she could go any time."

"Prepare yourself, she's dying," one family member was reportedly told.

Her weight is said to have dropped to around 86 pounds, with rumors of a cancer diagnosis becoming prevalent.

Her last time on stage was in November 2017 at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's Enduring Vision benefit gala. She had shows lined up in 2018: one in March at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey, and another in April at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Photo Credit: Getty Images / Taylor Hill