Teddi Mellencamp Says Surgery to Remove Skin Cancer ‘Went Well’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Teddi Mellencamp’s journey to fight melanoma continues as she recently underwent surgery to remove the remaining cancer on her back.
The REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS star updated her fans via Instagram following the surgery.
“Surgery went well!” she began. “I specifically went through a ‘wide excision melanoma, soft tissue defect reconstruction with adjacent tissue rearrangement.’ Basically, they cut out the area of my shoulder and replaced it with a flap of skin from below on my back (swipe to see the area before surgery). But the pain and discomfort are all worth it.”
In one of the photos, Mellencamp commented on the procedure.
“I’m out of surgery. Now I’m just waiting to be discharged to the nursing facility. It’s pretty painful but I am so grateful that they did such a great job… Whew, that back skin is tight…struggle bus, but I’m hoping they got it all,” she wrote.
The reality star has been battling skin cancer since 2022.
TODAY reported, “After her initial diagnosis in 2022, she underwent wide excision surgery to remove the melanoma and lymph nodes for additional biopsies. She also shared that she often skipped using sunscreen and only performed skin checks after turning 40. Her sister noted in a message Mellencamp shared on her Instagram story that this latest procedure was the 15th surgery Mellencamp has endured for her melanoma.”
Mellencamp’s husband, Edwin Arroyave, posted a heartfelt message on the day of her surgery, with a photo of the two hugging, her scars from previous surgeries exposed.
“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 wrote. “I know this battle is close to being won, and I cannot wait to see how she continues to impact every person around her. I love you, Mama.”
Movieguide® previously reported on Mellencamp:
REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS star Teddi Mellencamp updated fans on her battle against melanoma.
“On Sept. 13, Mellencamp Arroyave announced on Instagram that she’d been diagnosed with her thirteenth melanoma in the past year,” PEOPLE reported…
While sharing this journey has been a vulnerable experience for the reality star, Mellencamp hopes it will encourage others to get their skin checked.
“Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer because it can spread to lymph nodes and distant organs. In 2023, nearly 187,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma. Of these, more than 97,600 will be diagnosed with invasive (Stage I, II, III or IV) melanoma and over 89,000 will be diagnosed with melanoma in situ (Stage 0),” the Melanoma Research Center reported.
“Skin checks are essential. We’ve seen how quickly it can turn from one melanoma to 12. So when your doctor says, ‘See you in three months,’ it’s three months,” she told PEOPLE last December.
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