Loretta Lynn Opens up About Recent Health Scares

Country music icon Loretta Lynn has opened up about her string of recent health scares.

Speaking with PEOPLE, the country crooner, 86, opened up about the difficult times following the stroke she suffered in March of 2017 that left her left side “kind of paralyzed” and the subsequent fall that resulted in a broken hip, both of which nearly threatened her music career.

“It’s a very scary thing when you find out you’re havin’ a stroke,” Lynn told the outlet. “I wondered if I could sing. Mommy said I was born singin’. That’s all I’ve ever done. I couldn’t believe that that could be taken away.”

The country legend, who recently released her new album Wouldn’t It Be Great, admitted that the temporary paralysis of her left side, along with her affected hearing and timing, was a major hurdle.

“Your mind tells you, ‘You can!’ but your body soon tells you, ‘No you can’t quite do this,’” she said. “I told the girl that was doing therapy with, ‘Do not help me anymore. The next time you see me, I will be using my hand and arm,’ and I was, and she could not believe it. I always had a different mindset — that I can do this. Just keep it up.”

As a result of the stroke, Lynn was forced to move from the ranch where she lived to a house closer to doctors in Nashville, though just as she began to turn the corner on her recovery, even making her return to the stage, she suffered another major setback. In January, Lynn fell at home on New Year’s Day, breaking her hip.

“I think people thought I wouldn’t come back from that. And they’re really shocked when I tell them, ‘Well, I’m doing good, I’m moving my arms, I’m moving all my parts and I can still sing,’” she said. “I wasn’t goin’ to let it stop me. You just can’t sit down and say ‘Hey, take me.’”

As a result of her health scares, Lynn’s album, Wouldn’t It Be Great, was put on hold, and many questioned whether it would be released at all, but on Sept. 28 the sounds of Lynn’s melodic voice began to echo from speakers once more.

“This new record means so much to me, but this last year I had to focus on my health and I decided to hold up the release,” Lynn said in a statement when announcing the album’s release. “I’m feelin’ good and look forward to it comin’ out. It was really important to me to be a part of it being released and I’m excited to celebrate with everybody!”

Lynn, whose career spans 60 years, celebrated another big moment last month, CMT announcing that she would receive the Artist of a Lifetime Award at the annual CMT Artists of the Year event this month.