Abby Lee Miller Opens up about Her Struggles after Undergoing Emergency Surgery in 2018

Dance Instructor Abby Lee Miller recently got candid about her life-threatening surgery. Miller shockingly revealed that she wishes that she were dead post-surgery.

Abby Lee Miller has been struggling since undergoing an emergency surgery back in April 2018. In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, she and her doctor Dr. Hooman Melamed detailed the process before and after the operation.

According to the outlet, Miller underwent surgery after discovering that she had a mass infection that put immense pressure on her spine. The 55-year-old was then diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

Dr. Melamed performed the eight-hour surgery after Miller's blood pressure started plummeting, and he felt the need not to waste any more time. The former "Dance Moms" star recalled and shed a tear revealing that she thought she would die.

“I remember saying to the anesthesiologist, ‘Just tell me I’m gonna see you when I wake up,' and he said, ‘I can’t tell you that ma’am,’” she shared. According to Miller, she then heard Dr. Melamed saying, ‘Get the theater ready, I’m going in.’"

Miller then divulged that she did not know the operating room was called the theater and thought that she died. However, on his end, Dr. Melamed shared that he was determined to save her life nonetheless.

“I was like, ‘You know what, not on my watch. It’s not happening,'" Dr. Melamed recalled. The surgeon further explained that he remembers calling his wife, telling her that he won’t be coming home that night and that he was not prepared to lose Miller.

Dr. Melamed disclosed that he was going to do whatever it takes to save her at the time. He added that he always uses optimism to save his patients.

Through her rough journey to recovery, Miller revealed that she wishes that she would have rather died. However, all of that does not matter now as she is finally cancer-free.

The former “Dance Moms” star finished her 10th and final round of chemotherapy in April 2019. Since her diagnosis, she has been chronicling her treatment for the disease.

She has also continued with her rehabilitation treatment throughout 2019 to be able to walk again. Today, she has been able to walk 86 steps with an assistive device after sharing a video on social media.

In June 2020, Lifetime aired "Dance Moms: Resurrection," the show's eighth season. The same month, the network announced that they would be going forward with the planned reality series.

The show was called "Abby's Virtual Dance-Off." While it was announced in April, it was written off that same year. The network canceled the show following racist allegations.

An Instagram post by Adrian Smith reportedly triggered the action. Smith is a mother to "Dance Moms" Season 8 dancer Kamryn who revealed that Miller once said some racist remarks.

According to Deadline, Miller would not have returned to the show had it been renewed for its ninth season. The series made her a star, and she became famous for her tirades and challenging training.

Miller’s mom passed down the love for dance and started her company when she was just 14 years old. By 1980, she had her studio. She debuted her Lifetime show called "Dance Moms" in 2011, which followed her, her students, and their diva parents.

That all tumbled down when her legal troubles caught up with her in 2016. Miller pleaded guilty to bankruptcy and fraud, among other charges, and in 2017 she was sentenced to a year and a day in prison.