ELIZABETH TAYLOR REFUSES ANY MORE SURGERY

AFTER MORE THAN 100 OPERATIONS IN THE LAST QUARTER OF A CENTURY, ELIZABETH TAYLOR HAS FINALLY HAD ENOUGH. THE ICONIC HOLLYWOOD LEGEND, 78, HAS REPORTEDLY TOLD FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT SHE DOESN'T WANT TO GO UNDER THE KNIFE ANYMORE, DESPITE SUFFERING FROM CRIPPLING BACK AND NECK PAIN. TAYLOR HAS STRUGGLED WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS FOR MOST OF HER LIFE AND HAS ALREADY BEEN ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL IN LOS ANGELES THREE TIMES THIS YEAR. NOW VIRTUALLY CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR, SHE IS SAID TO FEEL 'TO TIRED AND WEAK' TO UNDERGO ANY FURTHER SURGERY. THE LONDON-BORN ACTRESS HAS SURVIVED NUMEROUS BRUSHES WITH DEATH AND DEFIED MORTALITY PREDICTIONS ABOUT HER FUTURE ON COUNTLESS TIMES. SHE WAS ONCE QUOTED AS SAYING: 'I ENTER HOSPITALS AS OFTEN AS OTHERS ENTER TAXI CABS.' SHE HAS HAD BOTH HIPS REPLACED AND FIVE OPERATIONS ON HER BACK. HER LONG LIST OF MEDICAL PROBLEMS ALSO INCLUDE A BRAIN TUMOR, SKIN CANCER, DIABETES, PNEUMONIA, SEIZURES AND A STROKE. SHE HAD A RISKY HEART PROCEDURE LAST OCTOBER TO TREAT HER CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, A PROGRESSIVE CONDITION IN WHICH THE HEART IS TOO WEAK TO PIMP SUFFICIENT BLOOD AROUND THE BODY. SHE IS SAID TO BE CRIPPLED WITH OSTEOPOROSIS, A DISEASE THAT LEAVES BONES WEAK AND EASILY BROKEN. AND FRIENDS SAT SHE IS STILL SUFFERING EXCRUCIATING NECK PAIN AS A RESULT OF HER LIFELONG BATTLE WITH SCOLIOSIS, OR CURVATURE OF THE SPINE. 'SOME MORNINGS HER NECK IS IN SUCH ACUTE PAIN SHE IS BARELY ABLE TO LIFT HER HEAD', SAID ONE REPORT. DESPITE THE AGONY, HOWEVER, SHE IS SAID THIS WEEK TO HAVE SPURNED DOCTORS' PLEAS TO HAVE CORRECTIVE SURGERY. THE ACTRESS, WHO HAS BEEN MARRIED EIGHT TIMES, LIVES ALONE IN LOS ANGELES. SOURCES CLAIMED THAT TAYLOR WAS SO DEPRESSED SHE SPENT HER 78th BIRTHDAY ALONE LAST MONTH WITH HER STAFF AT HER PLANTATION-STYLE MANSION. THE OSCAR-WINNER FOUND FAME AT JUST 12 IN NATIONAL VELVET. ALTHOUGH THE FILM WAS THE SPRINGBOARD OF HER CAREER, IT WAS ALSO THE START OF HER CHRONIC BACK PAIN AFTER SHE FELL OF A HORSE DURING FILMING. SHE WENT ON TO STAR IN CLASSICS SUCH AS TAMING OF THE SHREW, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF AND CLEOPATRA. UNTIL NOW, SHE HAS MANAGED TO BOUNCE BACK FROM HER HEALTH PROBLEMS. AND AFTER A TRIP TO HOSPITAL IN LOS ANGELES LAST JULY, SOON AFTER THE DEATH OF HER CLOSE FRIEND MICHAEL JACKSON SHE REPORTED ON HER TWITTER PAGE: 'I'M HOME FROM HOSPITAL SORE, BUT INTACT. OF COURSE, I'M STILL GRIEVING FOR MICHAEL. I ALWAYS WILL. BUT AS I SAID BEFORE I WENT INTO HOSPITAL, 'I AM A SURVIVOR'