Teddi Mellencamp Recovers From Brutal Surgery For Melanoma
"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" alum Teddi Mellencamp is sharing a new update on her melanoma diagnosis. In October 2022, the reality star announced she had been diagnosed with Stage II melanoma, months after getting her first mole removed in March 2022. "They said I had another abnormal spot near my last one so they did a biopsy. I got the call this morning: Stage 2 melanoma," she wrote on Instagram. In the months since her announcement, Mellencamp has publicly documented her struggles with the disease.
By December 2022, the Bravo star revealed that doctors declared her cancer-free, after getting a total of 12 melanomas removed at the time. "I'm just so grateful we caught it in time," she told People at the time. At the time, the reality star also revealed she was not at risk of getting other types of cancers. Sadly, Mellencamp's troubles with melanoma were far from over.
In September 2023, the "RHOBH" star announced the discovery of another melanoma. "At this point, I am starting to black-out these memories like a portion of my childhood. I slept maybe 2 hours last night because my mind was racing," she wrote in part in another Instagram post. Despite the months-long ordeal, these days, Mellencamp has more promising news as she is seemingly on her way to recovery.
Teddi Mellencamp says the surgery was worth it
On December 27, Teddi Mellencamp took to Instagram with an update on her struggle with melanoma. In the post, Mellencamp attached a picture of herself in a hospital bed, alongside a caption detailing the medical procedure. "Surgery went well! I specifically went through a 'wide excision melanoma, soft tissue defect reconstruction with adjacent tissues rearrangement,'" she wrote in the post. Writing further, Mellencamp explained that the skin on her shoulder was cut out and replaced with skin from her back. In spite of the pain, Mellencamp admitted the surgery was "worth it." Unsurprisingly, the reality star also took the chance to remind fans yet again of the need to constantly check for skin cancer.
The recent update comes in the wake of her husband, Edwin Arroyave's public show of support amid her health struggles. In an Instagram post shared ahead of Mellencamp's surgery, Arroyave included a loved-up black and white picture of himself and the reality star, alongside a heartwarming caption. "As Teddi goes in for the biggest surgery in her melanoma journey today, I just wanted to share how her absolute strength through it all has been nothing short of incredible," he gushed. "I know this battle is close to being won, and I cannot wait to see how she continues to impact every person around her."
Teddi Mellencamp previously tried immunotherapy
Before undergoing surgery, Teddi Mellencamp tried her hand at immunotherapy, another treatment option useful in the treatment of melanoma. "Immunotherapy is an anti-cancer treatment that uses the body's immune system to attack cancer cells. An immunotherapy cream called imiquimod (Aldara®) is a cream that stimulates the immune system," she explained on Instagram.
In a disappointing twist, the media personality later revealed that the treatment plan failed to work for her melanoma. "I just got the call from my doctor that the immunotherapy did not work, it was not successful," she shared on her Instagram Story (via People). "So I have two different options. I can either do a big skin graft of my stomach or my arm but it's a very long recovery or I can go in and get another wide excision surgery on December 26. And they'll have a plastic surgeon come in too because it's such a big area and then just keep getting my checks every three months."
With the recent progress report, however, it sure looks like better days are ahead for the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star. A lot of things might be uncertain but one thing is sure — Teddi Mellencamp is not giving up without a fight!