TV anchor Meredith Vieira leaving the "Today" show caring for her husband

caring for her husband announced that she was leaving the "Today" show last month,  she was planning to spend her days caring for her husband, journalist Richard Cohen, who has multiple sclerosis.Not so, the TV anchor tells PEOPLE in this week's issue."It was being distorted, because it looked better to make it, 'Meredith Vieira, she triumphs through it all,' but that wasn't the case," says Vieira, 57. Her husband, 67, would agree.His reaction to the rumor? "Richard said, 'What is this? You never tend to me! You won't even get me a cup of coffee!' " jokes Vieira. "I said, 'I know! This scam is working!' But enough gets to be enough."

Still, her family did play a major role in her decision.

Tired of waking up at 2:30 a.m. to tape the NBC morning show, Vieira decided she wanted to spend more time with her husband, whose health has been good recently, and her children, Ben, 22, a recent Stanford graduate, Gabe, 19, and Lily, 18, who is about to leave for college.

"We don't know from day to day what might happen," she says. "So why not enjoy life now? It's very precious, and anyone living with any kind of illness knows that. Health is fleeting, and you need to celebrate it while you still have it."

Maria Shriver appears on Oprah farewell show

Maria Shriver has appeared at Oprah Winfrey's farewell show in Chicago, the same day it was revealed her husband Arnold Schwarzenegger fathered a child with another woman.

Shriver came on stage at the United Center with Winfrey's best friend, Gayle King. Shriver told Winfrey that the talk show "With the event being held at the United Center in Chicago, IL, the estranged wife of Arnold Scwarzenegger told the famous talk show host, “You bestowed the most amazing friendship on me, given me love, support, wisdom and most of all truth.”The word “truth” was followed by a pause from the audience before leading into a stirring applause, with Winfrey and Shriver putting their arms around one another.During dinner the night befor Shriver said she knew she wasn't "alone in receiving those gifts."Last week, Schwarzenegger and Shriver announced they had separated. On Tuesday it was revealed Schwarzenegger fathered a child with a woman on his household staff more than a decade ago.In a statement Shriver called it a "painful and heartbreaking time."Shriver told Winfrey that the talk show host "believed in others so they could believe in themselves."