Derek Hough's Wife Hayley Erbert Emotionally Reveals 'New Outlook On Life' After Craniectomy
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: (L-R) Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert attend Elton John AIDS Foundation's 30th Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 27, 2022 in West Hollywood, California.
Hayley Erbert, wife of 'Dancing with the Stars' pro Derek Hough, shared a tearful update on her health and her "new outlook on life" following an emergency craniectomy in December.
In an video uploaded to Instagram Monday, Erbert, 29, reflected on the rollercoaster of the past few months since their wedding.
"In the beginning of December, I had an emergency craniotomy. Then, a couple of weeks later, I had a cranioplasty," Erbert said. "It's been quite the journey. There's been so much that has happened in two months."
"To this day, I still have really good days and I have really bad days — emotionally and physically sometimes — but I'm doing so much better every single day," she continued. "Truly there is so much progress every day and I'm so grateful for that."
Hough, 38, also acknowledged the highs and lows, commending his wife for her remarkable strength and perseverance, describing her as a "miracle."
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 12: (L-R) Hayley Erbert and Derek Hough attend the 4th Annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on June 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Hough had previously taken to social media, updating followers about Erbert's health journey, initially sharing her diagnosis of an intracranial hematoma in December and the subsequent emergency craniectomy.
According to Cedars-Sinai, a craniectomy is a type of surgery to remove a portion of your skull in an effort to help relieve extra pressure on the brain.
Erbert also expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming support and well-wishes she's received over the past two months. Tearfully thanking everyone for their messages, love, energy, light, and prayers, she acknowledged the collective positivity as a crucial factor in her recovery.
"It's what helped me heal," she said. "It's what helped me stay positive throughout the entire experience."
In the video, she unveiled her new pixie cut, humorously noting it as part of the "new year, new haircut" mantra. She acknowledges the physical changes, including a scar and a sac of fluid on her face, as a result of the surgery.
Describing life as "so precious," Erbert encouraged viewers to "spend time with the ones you love, hold them close 'cause you never know what could happen."
She added: "I'm just grateful to be alive and to be here to tell my story."
