Aretha Franklin Says Health Problem Is 'Resolved'

By Rennie Dyball

Thursday January 06, 2011 04:35 PM EST

Aretha Franklin

Matthew Jordan Smith

Aretha Franklin is opening up a bit about her health after her mystery surgery last month, though she still refuses to answer the million-dollar question.

"I am not going to even deal with that," Franklin, 68, tells JET of the reports that she has pancreatic cancer. "I don't have to talk about my health with anybody other than my doctors." But, she adds, "The problem has been resolved."

Whether that means she does or does not have the disease that took Patrick Swayze's life in 2009 remains to be seen – and the Queen of Soul seems unlikely to speak out on the matter.

"I am not one to do a lot of talking about my personal health or business," she said. "There are a lot of people who will talk about anything, as long as there is somebody listening. That's not Aretha."

She does, however, urge her fans to take care of themselves, based on her own experiences.

The singer recalls having "a very hard pain in my side" at a Toronto concert last year. She assumed it was related to a recent colonoscopy, but her doctor thought otherwise and urged her to have a CAT-scan.

"Thank God he said that because that unfolded everything, what the problem was and everything," she says, encouraging fans to keep a close eye on their own health.

"If there is anything happening with you that is uncommon and something that you know should not be happening, go to your doctor," says Franklin. "Be determined to find out what is going on."

As she continues recuperating, the singer adds that she is grateful for her supportive fanbase.

"I want to thank my fans and friends and supporters who have prayed for me and sent me beautiful cards and flowers," she says. "Please continue to respect my privacy as I continue to recover."

Here's what little she did reveal of what went on with her:

She told all of this to JET.

Of COURSE she's gonna tell Jet.

scriptgirl said:

Of COURSE she's gonna tell Jet.

One thing is she didn't deny anything, she just doesn't want to talk about it. It all stems from how she and the media have treated each other since that 1968 TIME cover story.

and what went down with that?

scriptgirl said:

and what went down with that?

Apparently they brought up the stories of her mother abandoning her (which wasn't true according to Aretha, her family and the author who wrote about her dad) and her first husband Ted White physically assaulting her in public. Aretha didn't trust the media at all after that. Notice, the ONLY media she has been openly talking to is EBONY and JET. That's about it.

[Edited 1/6/11 19:39pm]

but the stories are true, right?

scriptgirl said:

but the stories are true, right?

Yeah.

Even though Aretha did see her mother off and on, she DID leave Detroit with just one of Aretha's siblings (Vaughn Franklin).

And Aretha and Ted's relationship was very volatile to say the least.

This sounds like good news.

Timmy84 said:

Aretha Franklin Says Health Problem Is 'Resolved'

By Rennie Dyball

Thursday January 06, 2011 04:35 PM EST

Aretha Franklin

Matthew Jordan Smith

Aretha Franklin is opening up a bit about her health after her mystery surgery last month, though she still refuses to answer the million-dollar question.

"I am not going to even deal with that," Franklin, 68, tells JET of the reports that she has pancreatic cancer. "I don't have to talk about my health with anybody other than my doctors." But, she adds, "The problem has been resolved."

Whether that means she does or does not have the disease that took Patrick Swayze's life in 2009 remains to be seen – and the Queen of Soul seems unlikely to speak out on the matter.

"I am not one to do a lot of talking about my personal health or business," she said. "There are a lot of people who will talk about anything, as long as there is somebody listening. That's not Aretha."

She does, however, urge her fans to take care of themselves, based on her own experiences.

The singer recalls having "a very hard pain in my side" at a Toronto concert last year. She assumed it was related to a recent colonoscopy, but her doctor thought otherwise and urged her to have a CAT-scan.

"Thank God he said that because that unfolded everything, what the problem was and everything," she says, encouraging fans to keep a close eye on their own health.

"If there is anything happening with you that is uncommon and something that you know should not be happening, go to your doctor," says Franklin. "Be determined to find out what is going on."

As she continues recuperating, the singer adds that she is grateful for her supportive fanbase.

"I want to thank my fans and friends and supporters who have prayed for me and sent me beautiful cards and flowers," she says. "Please continue to respect my privacy as I continue to recover."

A person solicits prayers from world reknown clergyman, some have flown in to pray with her, others have prayed over the phone; two prayer vigils for her have been held, one in Detroit, and one in Washington D.C. - but she thinks she need not tell what she wantss people to pray for? Balooney Aretha. This experience hasn't changed her funky diva attitude and demeanor one bit.

Is she clueless to realize that some of her family, some of the clergymen, some of the medical staff and even Patti LaBelle have told it - Aretha Franklin has pancreatic cancer.

The woman the world calls 'The Queen of Soul' has selective memory of when she flaps gums.

She seems to forget that she dissed on James Cleveland and his boyfriend when they stayed at the Franklin home back in her younger years, on her sisters Erma and Carolyn, her first cousin Brenda (that was raised by C.L. Franklin and Big Mama - C.L's mom), on Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, Martha Reeves, Natalie Cole and Luther Vandross - most in that piece of shi* called FROM THESE ROOTS. A book that was supposed to have been her autobiography. The book was re-written by Aretha and her minions after she told off co-author David Ritz and invited him out of her house because he asked the probing questions about her life: i.e. did he father impregnate her at 14 with her first child as many of the old saints on the gospel community have said, and swear by. (NOTE: Aretha has the birth records of Clarence sealed by the courts, ditto for hert next son Edward, the one who burned down her mansion while she was in Texas, and is now with a guardian, btw, Clarence is confined to a mental institution).

Ritz additionally asked her about the reasons her mom left the family, and were the reports true about Aretha attacking her second husband, actor Glynn Turman afetr coming in early from Detroit once and catching him in bed with one of her sons.

There are just too many people tha know the truths about some of these controversial things, and while I do agree, her personal health and life are her business - but she need to realize she is an internationally known icon, in a career she choose - and along with that comes scrutiny, and with as much mess in her life as she has endured, there are going to be questions.

The TIME magazine cover story and a later feature in ROLLING STONE magazine soured her on the press - but guess what, neither story told lies. They kept it real.

Aretha Franklin has a horrible reputation of being nasty and mean to others - she snubbed Patti LaBelle backstage in the green room at the Oprah Winfrey show - prompting Patti to once proclaim, "If Aretha acts ugly with me one more time, I am gonna whip her ass". In an EBONY story, without calling names, LaBelle called her a mean old woman, in reference to the Winfrey incident.

To this day Aretha has not been very sister-like to her half-sister Carl Ellan Jennings-Smith. It is not that woman's fault that she was the product of C.L. Franklin's playa waya when he dipped on Barbara Sigger Franklin a many times. The problem was, the female in the sexual rendezvous was only 13 years of age. Mildred Jennings (Carl Ellan's mom, was a member of the small church in Memphis that C.L. pastored).

Barbara tried to forgive him, but she had been through pain before in a relationship with the man whom fathered her first son Vaughn, two years before she met C.L.

Aretha seems to wanna ignore all of this. She seems to forget that her mom and dad never divorced, and even while Barbara was living in Buffalo with her parents after leaving C.L. in Detroit, the famous minster moved Clara Ward into his home to share his bed. Ward was there when Siggers- Franklin would travel back and forth to get her kids for visits. When Barbara died in 1952, her estranged husband sent her kids to the funeral in Buffalo, but chose not to go.

People know all of these facts, especially teh church communties of Mempshi, Buffalo and Detroit.

Plus there is a Franklin family member whom Aretha has had many run-ins with, that loves to tell it.

So Aretha should do what she always says, "...get real". No matter what she is The Queen of Soul, and hat is for her music and its legacy, but if you are gonna do biographical books and movies - tell the real truth and not some glossed over version.

The real truth is out there.

GET WELL ARETHA FRANKLIN!!!

RnBAmbassador said:

Timmy84 said:

Aretha Franklin Says Health Problem Is 'Resolved'

By Rennie Dyball

Thursday January 06, 2011 04:35 PM EST

Aretha Franklin

Matthew Jordan Smith

Aretha Franklin is opening up a bit about her health after her mystery surgery last month, though she still refuses to answer the million-dollar question.

"I am not going to even deal with that," Franklin, 68, tells JET of the reports that she has pancreatic cancer. "I don't have to talk about my health with anybody other than my doctors." But, she adds, "The problem has been resolved."

Whether that means she does or does not have the disease that took Patrick Swayze's life in 2009 remains to be seen – and the Queen of Soul seems unlikely to speak out on the matter.

"I am not one to do a lot of talking about my personal health or business," she said. "There are a lot of people who will talk about anything, as long as there is somebody listening. That's not Aretha."

She does, however, urge her fans to take care of themselves, based on her own experiences.

The singer recalls having "a very hard pain in my side" at a Toronto concert last year. She assumed it was related to a recent colonoscopy, but her doctor thought otherwise and urged her to have a CAT-scan.

"Thank God he said that because that unfolded everything, what the problem was and everything," she says, encouraging fans to keep a close eye on their own health.

"If there is anything happening with you that is uncommon and something that you know should not be happening, go to your doctor," says Franklin. "Be determined to find out what is going on."

As she continues recuperating, the singer adds that she is grateful for her supportive fanbase.

"I want to thank my fans and friends and supporters who have prayed for me and sent me beautiful cards and flowers," she says. "Please continue to respect my privacy as I continue to recover."

A person solicits prayers from world reknown clergyman, some have flown in to pray with her, others have prayed over the phone; two prayer vigils for her have been held, one in Detroit, and one in Washington D.C. - but she thinks she need not tell what she wantss people to pray for? Balooney Aretha. This experience hasn't changed her funky diva attitude and demeanor one bit.

Is she clueless to realize that some of her family, some of the clergymen, some of the medical staff and even Patti LaBelle have told it - Aretha Franklin has pancreatic cancer.

The woman the world calls 'The Queen of Soul' has selective memory of when she flaps gums.

She seems to forget that she dissed on James Cleveland and his boyfriend when they stayed at the Franklin home back in her younger years, on her sisters Erma and Carolyn, her first cousin Brenda (that was raised by C.L. Franklin and Big Mama - C.L's mom), on Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, Martha Reeves, Natalie Cole and Luther Vandross - most in that piece of shi* called FROM THESE ROOTS. A book that was supposed to have been her autobiography. The book was re-written by Aretha and her minions after she told off co-author David Ritz and invited him out of her house because he asked the probing questions about her life: i.e. did he father impregnate her at 14 with her first child as many of the old saints on the gospel community have said, and swear by. (NOTE: Aretha has the birth records of Clarence sealed by the courts, ditto for hert next son Edward, the one who burned down her mansion while she was in Texas, and is now with a guardian, btw, Clarence is confined to a mental institution).

Ritz additionally asked her about the reasons her mom left the family, and were the reports true about Aretha attacking her second husband, actor Glynn Turman afetr coming in early from Detroit once and catching him in bed with one of her sons.

There are just too many people tha know the truths about some of these controversial things, and while I do agree, her personal health and life are her business - but she need to realize she is an internationally known icon, in a career she choose - and along with that comes scrutiny, and with as much mess in her life as she has endured, there are going to be questions.

The TIME magazine cover story and a later feature in ROLLING STONE magazine soured her on the press - but guess what, neither story told lies. They kept it real.

Aretha Franklin has a horrible reputation of being nasty and mean to others - she snubbed Patti LaBelle backstage in the green room at the Oprah Winfrey show - prompting Patti to once proclaim, "If Aretha acts ugly with me one more time, I am gonna whip her ass". In an EBONY story, without calling names, LaBelle called her a mean old woman, in reference to the Winfrey incident.

To this day Aretha has not been very sister-like to her half-sister Carl Ellan Jennings-Smith. It is not that woman's fault that she was the product of C.L. Franklin's playa waya when he dipped on Barbara Sigger Franklin a many times. The problem was, the female in the sexual rendezvous was only 13 years of age. Mildred Jennings (Carl Ellan's mom, was a member of the small church in Memphis that C.L. pastored).

Barbara tried to forgive him, but she had been through pain before in a relationship with the man whom fathered her first son Vaughn, two years before she met C.L.

Aretha seems to wanna ignore all of this. She seems to forget that her mom and dad never divorced, and even while Barbara was living in Buffalo with her parents after leaving C.L. in Detroit, the famous minster moved Clara Ward into his home to share his bed. Ward was there when Siggers- Franklin would travel back and forth to get her kids for visits. When Barbara died in 1952, her estranged husband sent her kids to the funeral in Buffalo, but chose not to go.

People know all of these facts, especially teh church communties of Mempshi, Buffalo and Detroit.

Plus there is a Franklin family member whom Aretha has had many run-ins with, that loves to tell it.

So Aretha should do what she always says, "...get real". No matter what she is The Queen of Soul, and hat is for her music and its legacy, but if you are gonna do biographical books and movies - tell the real truth and not some glossed over version.

The real truth is out there.

GET WELL ARETHA FRANKLIN!!!

I truly hope she's not THAT clueless. Maybe she's trying to put a positive spin, I don't know. Thing is she didn't deny the reports, she just "don't wanna talk about it".

[Edited 1/7/11 8:36am]

SoulAlive said:

This sounds like good news.

She has until May. That's when she'll be free to perform again...that is if what she's saying is correct but we really don't know. But yeah you can say it's good news, I'm hoping it is.

That photoshop is god awful.

Thanks for posting Timmy. Good to know the "Queen of Soul" is doing better.

2elijah said:

Thanks for posting Timmy. Good to know the "Queen of Soul" is doing better.

Welcome.

I'm not sure how "resolved" the issue is, but I'm glad to hear that she's in good spirits at least

I guess your prayers werer heard Timmy!

I am glad to hear Ms. Franklin is doing well.

EmeraldSkies said:

I guess your prayers werer heard Timmy!

I am glad to hear Ms. Franklin is doing well.

Yes they were.

God knows she's been struggling but bottom line is she's a trooper.

Timmy84 said:

EmeraldSkies said:

I guess your prayers werer heard Timmy!

I am glad to hear Ms. Franklin is doing well.

Yes they were.

God knows she's been struggling but bottom line is she's a trooper.

Yes she is. I love the fact that she doesn't feel any pressure to tell the media her personal information.

EmeraldSkies said:

Timmy84 said:

Yes they were.

God knows she's been struggling but bottom line is she's a trooper.

Yes she is. I love the fact that she doesn't feel any pressure to tell the media her personal information.

She has never been one to reveal a lot of stuff anyway so I'm not surprised lol

If the issue is resolved then it leads me to believe it's not pancreatic cancer. But why not just come out and say it's not pancreatic cancer? You don't have to disclose exactly what it is but just confirm that it isn't that serious.

RnBAmbassador said:

(A lot)

I don't understand what any of that has to do with her right to keep her health information private.

musicjunky318 said:

If the issue is resolved then it leads me to believe it's not pancreatic cancer. But why not just come out and say it's not pancreatic cancer? You don't have to disclose exactly what it is but just confirm that it isn't that serious.

Aretha won't tell the full details. I guess that's her prerogative.

Timmy84 said:

musicjunky318 said:

If the issue is resolved then it leads me to believe it's not pancreatic cancer. But why not just come out and say it's not pancreatic cancer? You don't have to disclose exactly what it is but just confirm that it isn't that serious.

Aretha won't tell the full details. I guess that's her prerogative.

Yea.

musicjunky318 said:

Timmy84 said:

Aretha won't tell the full details. I guess that's her prerogative.

Yea.

I think the only thing she's really confirmed is that it was a difficult challenge for her. Oddly she still ain't allowed to perform until May. And she ain't too stubborn to accept doctor's orders.

If it is pancreatic cancer, I wish she would have just shut the f*ck up. I just went through a dear friend losing her husband to this ish (it took two years---and he was lucky cause the average timespan is six months). While she has the right to her own privacy, to mislead the public and other cancer fighters, is her own hell on earth. Just saying...

^ I see what you're trying to say, but maybe she's in denial and wants to believe she's going to be fine? Just a thought.