Abby Lee Miller Had A Second Emergency Cancer Surgery

Reality | Celebrity

Abby Lee Miller Undergoes A Second Emergency Cancer Surgery

Abby Lee Miller - Instagram

It seems like nothing is going right for Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller since her stint in prison last year.

After being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and spending months in the hospital, Miller reveals she had to undergo her second emergency surgery this week.

Abby Lee Miller
Lifetime

While the reality star is assuring fans she's alright, the sharp decline in her health is concerning.

A Rare Diagnosis

After being released from jail early for good behavior, things seemed to be looking up for Miller.

She was released to a halfway house in Long Beach, California and ordered to attend counseling.

But Miller began to experience "excruciating" neck and back pain, and weakness in her arm.

Abby Lee Miller
Abby Lee Miller - Instagram

After getting MRI and CT scans, doctors found an infection in Miller's spine, and she had an emergency surgery to remove it.

Doctors ad the Cedar Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital say Miller's prognosis was very bad when she arrived for treatment.

"If we didn't do something, she was going to die," said Dr. Hooman Melamed.

"Not just her pain, but her weakness started getting worse. In the span of 24 hours, which was something that I have not seen, her condition rapidly deteriorated. She was completely paralyzed from the neck down."

Abby Lee Miller
Abby Lee Miller - Instagram

Miller had parts of her vertebrae removed along with the treatment, and has been recovering in the hospital since April.

Doctors now say her "infection" was actually Burkitt lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of a cancer called non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Painful Treatment

Because Burkitt lymphoma affects white blood cells, doctors were concerned that Miller's cancer could spread through her body.

The rare form is known for being very aggressive, and can kill patients in just a few weeks if they are not treated.

Abby Lee Miller
Abby Lee Miller - Instagram

This week, Miller revealed she was beginning her third round of radiation treatment to try and prevent the cancer from spreading.

The TV star was feeling optimistic, because her doctor had cleared her to spend time in the sun again. (Chemotherapy patients can burn very easily, and it can complicate their treatment.)

"Kids, never take anything in this world for granted!" Miller told her fans. "It can all change so suddenly!"

But on Tuesday, Miller shared even more bad news, revealing she had undergone a "quick little emergency surgery."

Abby Lee Miller
Abby Lee Miller - Instagram

"I'm in recovery now and texting so everything must be ok," she joked, calling the surprise procedure "just hiccups in my plans."

While Miller still has a cheery attitude, she asked her fans to keep her in their prayers.

She also teased that she has two new projects, and is itching to get back to work as soon as possible.

Eight Months Behind Bars

Miller was released from California's FCI Victorville penitentiary in March.

The reality star pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud, after being accused of hiding $775,000 in TV earnings.

Abby Lee Miller
AP

Miller blamed "trusting other people with my money" for her predicament, but paid the $160,000 court-ordered fine and served her time.

Before heading to jail, Miller confessed in a tearful interview that she was "afraid of being physically abused" in jail.

She was also the butt of jokes for complaining that she would miss her swimming pool, and worrying if she could stick to her strict diet in jail.

But instead, Miller thrived in jail. She lost more than 100 pounds and took classes on personal finance and real estate.

Abby Lee Miller
Miller's 'Dance Moms' co-stars visited her in jail.People

"My world flipped upside down when I had to enter prison," she wrote on Instagram, "the stories you read about me [being] a princess are untrue."

"I have made friends with both inmates and staff, I've tried to better myself, participated in anything offered to me and I am a better person for this experience."

While Miller teased that she wanted to produce a new TV series that picks up "where Dance Moms leaves off," her plans may have to wait until she gets a clan bill of health.

We're all praying that Miller makes a speedy recovery!

Read more about Miller's time in jail.

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[H/T: Good Housekeeping, People, Page Six]

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