'RHOBH' Star Reveals Scars From Cancer Surgery: Teddi Mellencamp Gives Health Update
The reality star just had two more melanoma removed.
Former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave shared a new update in her cancer battle, revealing that she just had yet another surgery. The reality star has had 15 surgeries for the invasive skin cancer known as melanoma before, and in a post on her Instagram Story she revealed that she had another one last week. She posted photos of her back showing the scars where two more spots were removed.
"For those asking for scar update – here she is in all her glory, Mellencamp wrote alongside a photo of her bare back. She wore a hospital gown and pulled her hair forward to reveal the patchwork of scars covering her shoulder blades. In another photo, she seemed to zero in on the newest marks. She hoped her experience would encourage others to be proactive with her health, writing: "Trust your instincts. Two more removed today. This is why follow up [appointments] are just as important as getting that first check." You can see screen grabs of these posts in a report by PEOPLE.
Mellencamp has three children with her husband Edwin Arroyave – 11-year-old Slate, 9-year-old Cruz and 4-year-old Dave. She explained that she had to fit this harrowing procedure into an already busy week as a mother, writing: "I got the results back at the beginning of this week and have been just trying to grin and fake it since the call because I was at an important horse show with Slate. I do in fact have another melanoma which means another surgery. Which means more hard conversations with my kids."
Mellencamp was a main cast member on RHOBH Seasons 8, 9 and 10, and was a guest star on Seasons 11, 12 and 13. She has not been confirmed for the upcoming Season 14, though others already have. Mellencamp also hosts the Two T's in a Pod podcast where she has shared many details on her condition. She is the daughter of singer-songwriter John Mellencamp and was previously married to Matthew James Colbourne Robertson.
According to WebMD, melanoma is less common than other types of skin cancer is "much more aggressive" as well. It is more likely to spread to other parts of the body, and typically manifests as a dark spot on the skin or in an existing mole. Surgery is generally the recommended treatment with the best chance of eliminating the disease. Mellencamp herself mentioned back in December that she tried immunotherapy, but it was not successful.