Teddi Mellencamp is getting real about her health.
If you remember, the 41-year-old reality star revealed back in March she had melanoma removed from her shoulder after fellow Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards noticed the mark, explaining at the time:
“This is a reminder to please go get your yearly skin checks. I had been avoiding mine bc of my own anxiety for a very long time but when @kylerichards18 saw my back and it had changed colors again, she immediately took me to the doc who within minutes said it looks like melanoma and did a big removal.”
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She added:
“Grateful that I am busy to keep my mind from racing as I await the results. I find strength in being honest with you all and hope this helps others. Please let this be a reminder to take action on your own skin.”
See the pics — including graphic closeups of the mark and the scar left by its removal (below):
Well, it looks like the results are in, and they’re pretty scary… The star returned to Instagram Tuesday to explain:
“Melanoma awareness update. Despite my anxiety, I listened to the doctors and went in for my 3-month skin check last week since my previous melanoma. 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.”
For those who don’t know, stage two melanoma occurs when it reaches the deeper, dermis layer of the skin (rather than just the outer epidermis layer like in stage one), and is thicker and more likely to metastasize (spread), according to the Melanoma Research Alliance. She continued in her post:
“Now, next Wednesday I go to an oncologist to have it cut out and come up with a game plan on next steps. Of course, this is all pending some additional testing and biopsies of other spots nearby that were taken today.”
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This all must be absolutely terrifying for her! We’re so glad she went in for that three-month checkup despite her “anxiety,” or things could have possibly become a lot more advanced… She added:
“Moral of this story: if a doctor says, ‘come in every 3 months’ please go in every 3 months. 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.”
Hopefully Teddi’s transparency will help save the lives of others in similar situations. She concluded her update:
“This has been such a wakeup call for me, and I hope to all of you, to love and protect the skin you’re in.”
See the full post (below):
Sending lots of love and support to Teddi and her family during this scary time. Get your skin checked!! Let us know your thoughts in the comments (below).
[Image via MEGA/WENN]
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