Washington,
(ANI):
Aretha
Franklin,
who
is
recovering
from
her
recent
surgery,
says
she's
up
and
about
–
and
feeling
better,
too.
"I
feel
great," People
Magazine
quoted
her
as
telling
JET
in
a
new
interview,
adding
that
doctors
want
her
to
recuperate
for
eight
weeks.
"The
doctors
say
I
can
do
whatever
I
feel
like
I
am
up
to
do.
Of
course,
that
doesn't
mean
any
concerts
or
anything
like
that.
But
I
can
do
things
around
the
house,
and
today
I
am
just
piddling
around
the
house," the
68-
year-old
said.
The
singer
still
has
not
revealed
the
nature
of
her
ailment,
though
she's
been
reported
to
have
pancreatic
cancer.
However,
she
promises
to
speak
out
on
what's
ailing
her
soon.
"I
am
putting
Aretha
together
first.
I
will
talk
more
later,"
she
said.
Franklin
says
she's
received
support
from
Stevie
Wonder,
Oprah
Winfrey,
Rev.
Jesse
Jackson,
Patti
LaBelle
and
Smokey
Robinson,
among
other
well-known
names,
and
plenty
of
less
recognizable
ones,
while
recovering.
"I
might
not
remember
everyone's
name
right
this
moment
but,
please,
I
want
them
to
know
I
appreciate
their
prayers,"
she
said.
Add
to
those
the
prayers
of
her
family,
too,
including
family
friend
Willie
Wilkerson,
her
sons,
her
niece
Sabrina
and
her
cousin
Brenda.
"My
family
has
been
with
me
every
step
of
the
way.
I
couldn't
have
done
it
without
them,
that's
for
sure,"
she
added.
Since
returning
home
from
the
hospital,
the
soul
legend
reveals
that
she''s
been
reading,
catching
up
on
faxes
and
relaxing.
"I
also
might
make
one
or
two
business
calls.
Not
too
much,
just
a
teeny
bit
…
God
has
given
me
the
greatest
gift
already
for
the
holidays.
I
am
so
grateful,"
she
said.