by Maria Pasquini
Francia Raisa has spoken openly about how difficult her recovery was after undergoing surgery to donate her kidney to Selena Gomez.
"It's tougher on the donor side because you're giving up a part of your body you weren't supposed to part with," Raisa, 29, shared during a forthcoming segment of Harry Connick Jr.'s daytime program Harry, per Just Jared.
The Grown-ish star went on to say that it was emotionally draining to watch her close friend bounce back almost instantly, while she still faced a long stretch of healing.
"I'm somebody who is always on the move," she noted, recalling how frustrating it felt when "my physician told me I had to stay still for eight weeks."
"I wasn't allowed to do any kind of physical activity. Walking was the only thing I could manage. That was incredibly difficult for me, especially because I have a dog," she went on. "Every single day, the things I look forward to most are my morning coffee and taking walks, and I lost all of that. It was extremely, extremely tough."
RELATED: Selena Gomez's Best Friend Francia Raisa Shares What Motivated Her to Donate a Kidney
Gomez caught her fans off guard in September of the previous year when she revealed that complications from lupus had led her to receive a kidney transplant from her best friend Raisa during the summer months.
Breaking down what inspired her to offer her kidney, Raisa explained to Today host Savannah Guthrie, "She walked through the door one day and she was clearly upset. I hadn't pressed her for details. I could tell she hadn't been herself."
"She couldn't twist open a water bottle at one point. She tossed it aside and broke down in tears. I asked her, 'What's going on?' and that's when she explained everything to me. She told me, 'I have no idea what to do. The waiting list is seven to ten years.'" Raisa recalled.
"Those words just burst out of me before I could stop them. I blurted, 'Obviously I'll go get tested,'" she said.
Raisa's mother, Virginia Almendarez, sat down with Telemundo's Al Rojo Vivo after the news broke, sharing that the two women had "shared a bond for years."
"They act like sisters. I adore her as well. She adores me right back. She calls me her second mom," Almendarez continued, going on to say that the procedure drew the longtime companions even nearer to each other.
"Their bond has deepened so much. Selena is a wonderful young woman with an enormous heart, and so is Francia. I'm incredibly proud of them both," Almendarez remarked. "Francia carries an immense amount of compassion, because most people wouldn't willingly give up one of their organs for another person."
RELATED VIDEO: Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa Discuss a Second Emergency Surgery Following Her Life-Saving Kidney Transplant
Once her healing phase finally wrapped up in late September, Raisa posted an Instagram clip of herself pumping iron, telling supporters how "thrilled" she felt to dive back into her fitness routine.
"So glad to be moving again," she wrote as the caption, and the visible scar from the operation that rescued her friend's life could be seen throughout the footage.
Raisa's complete conversation on Harry will broadcast on Monday.
