DWTS' Carrie Ann Inaba On The Mend Following Emergency Surgery

"Dancing With the Stars" judge Carrie Ann Inaba regretted not rushing to the hospital sooner when she began experiencing severe abdominal pain. In a March 30 post on Instagram, Inaba explained why she tried to tough it out, writing, "I honestly didn't want to leave my babies, and I'm so accustomed to pain." The "babies" in question were likely her menagerie of cute cats and dogs who often appear on her Instagram account.

As for why Inaba is used to various body aches, she has spoken in the past about having spinal stenosis and Sjogren's syndrome, which are both chronic conditions that can cause acute, unrelenting pain. In 2019, she told People that she couldn't leave her bed some days because the pain was just overwhelming her body, leaving her feeling extremely fatigued. But according to her latest health update, before she finally broke down and headed to the hospital, she experienced another horrific symptom — what she described as "sudden and violent vomiting that knocked me off my feet." Still, she noted that autoimmune diseases like hers can cause various symptoms, so she didn't initially suspect that something more serious was going on. But then she arrived at the hospital and learned that she would have to undergo emergency surgery.

Carrie Ann Inaba's vomiting and abdominal pain turned out to be symptoms of acute gangrenous appendicitis, and there was only one way to treat it. "I had an emergency appendectomy last week and while it's been quite a painful experience, I also know it's a gift to even feel this pain," she wrote. An appendectomy is the surgical removal of the appendix, a tiny organ located on the right side of the torso. It's attached to the very bottom of the colon. When it gets inflamed, it can cause the symptoms Inaba experienced. And if left untreated, the appendix can actually burst and cause a potentially deadly bacterial infection, per Cleveland Clinic. This is likely why Inaba considered herself lucky, despite having to go under the knife.

In a video that she included in her Instagram post, Inaba revealed that she experienced some undisclosed complications during her surgery and had to remain in the hospital for four days. She also said that it could take her up to six weeks to recover fully. "But I'm just grateful to be alive," she added.

Inaba's former "Dancing With the Stars" castmate Derek Hough was also happy that she was on the mend, and he felt her pain. "Get well soon," he wrote in the comments. "I had that a few years ago. Glad you got it taken care of. Feel better."