In an exclusive interview with Today, actress Valerie Harper displayed much resilience and resolve declaring, “I’m not dying until I do,” with regards to the recent diagnosis that she has terminal cancer.

The former Rhoda Morgenstern from “Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Rhoda” has been the spotlight of intense discussions and premature mourning.

Today’s Savannah Guthrie interviewed the 73-year-old Valerie Harper at her LA home and where she spoke up and finally shared her thoughts about her illness and her memoir, “I, Rhoda,” and what she continues to love about life.

Harper was working hard to take her Tony-nominated performance in “Looped” on a road show when she went to her doctor with some odd symptoms. “I had this weird feeling in my jaw,” she said, “I vomited for no reason and wasn’t sick. And I thought, ‘That’s weird.’”

When the diagnosis arrived, she said that it was described as rare. “It was hard to detect because it was diffuse. It’s all around. It’s not in one lump.” However, the reality of her illness only hit her hard when the word “incurable” was mixed in the language.

Just how long she has remains to be seen. But the resilient actress, who was even chuckling while mentioning the word “terminal” at one point, is determined. “I’m not dying until I do,” she says at one part during her interview with Guthrie. “More than hopeful, Savannah. I have an intention to live each…moment fully,” says Harper.

Harper says she’s got to do what many only say they will: Live each day as if it is yout last. Her doctors have told her a week, three months or years, and she is receiving chemotherapy at the moment.

The actress says she is “ready to say bye-bye” if the time comes, but she’s holding onto hope big time. “The thing I have is – is very rare and it’s serious and it’s incurable…so far. So I’m holding on to the “so far.”

Harper was recognized for her role as Rhoda Morgenstern on the 1970s television series," The Mary Tyler Moore Show", and it’s spin off, "Rhoda", and later on as Valerie Hogan or Valerie. She is 73 years old and is married to Tony Cacciotti.

Valerie Harper is a recipient of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Comedy Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Comedy or Musical Series.