Teddi Mellencamp Shows Surgery Scars After Stage 2 Melanoma Diagnosis
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Teddi Mellencamp revealed that she was diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma back in October. Now, two months after the reveal and after undergoing treatment, Mellencamp is updating fans on her condition. As E! News noted, the reality star shared a positive update with her fans via Instagram.
On Wednesday, Mellencamp shared that her surgeries were "successful" and that her "margins are clear." She added, "I also got genetic testing results and there are no mutations we need to worry about." Alongside her update, Mellencamp posted a photo of the back of her right shoulder, which features scars where the doctors removed 11 melanomas and 3 lymph nodes. Additionally, she also included a "before" photo to show just how serious the situation became.
"So I say peace out to 11 melanomas and 3 lymph nodes— I gladly hardly knew ya—and hello to a new sense of peace," she wrote. "It's been eye-opening how quickly things can change and it's a lesson I will never forget, nor quit speaking up about. I want nothing more than for all of you to be proactive so you do not have to experience this. Let my scars be your inspiration to get preventative care." Mellencamp added that she also underwent a healthy mammogram and that she will continue to get checked for skin cancer every 4-6 weeks. She ended her message with, "As always, thanks for all the love, support and well-wishes. I feel very blessed and grateful for it all."
Mellencamp's update comes two months after she revealed her diagnosis. At the time, she explained that she was experiencing some anxiety about going for her three-month skin check. But, thankfully, she put those qualms aside as her doctors later determined that she had stage 2 melanoma.
"Moral of this story: If a doctor says, 'Come in every 3 months,' please go in every 3 months," she wrote. "I so badly wanted to blow this off. 'What could happen in 3 months?' I thought. Apparently, a lot. I continue to share this journey because I was a 90s teen, putting baby oil and iodine on my skin to tan it. Never wearing sunscreen or getting my moles checked until I was 40 years old." The RHOBH alum said that this situation was a "wakeup call" for her and that she hopes that by sharing her story, it will serve as one for others.