Parton Previously Explained What Her Treatment Was Doing to Her
In a May 2026 Instagram statement, Parton said she was responding well to medication and treatment despite having to step back from performing.
"The good news is I'm responding really well to meds and treatments and I'm improving every day," she said. Recovery, however, was taking longer than she wanted.
Parton attended a Nashville event for "Dolly: An Original Musical" in January 2025. She later said she was still working on the Broadway production while receiving treatment in 2026. | Source: Getty Images
"Now the bad news is, it's going to take me a little while before I'm up to stage-performance level because some of the meds and treatments make me a little bit swimmy headed, as my grandma used to say," Parton explained.
She quickly turned the side effect into a joke about the practical demands of her performance. "And of course, I can't be dizzy carrying around banjos, guitars, and such on five-inch heels - and you know that I'm going to be wearing them," she said.
Parton continued, "Not to mention, all those heavy rhinestone outfits, the big hair, my big... uh, personality. Lord, those - that would make anybody swimmy headed!"
She also disclosed that she had struggled with kidney stones and said her immune and digestive systems had "got all out of whack over the past couple three years." Her treatment was aimed at strengthening those areas, and she said doctors had assured her that her ailments were treatable.
Parton also made clear that treatment had not stopped her from working altogether. She said she remained involved in plans for a museum and hotel in Nashville and the forthcoming Broadway production "Dolly: A True Original Musical," expected to open in New York later this year.
Parton's virtual appearance at Dollywood came less than two months after fans saw her in person. On June 24, she attended the opening celebration for her new Tennessee travel stop, where videos also prompted viewers to discuss her appearance and health.
As footage from the celebration spread online, viewers became fixated on a brief moment that quickly sparked debate. According to a report, the new travel stop is a joint venture between Parton, her longtime manager Danny Nozell, and businessman Gregory H. Sachs.
