Teddi Mellencamp of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” posted graphic images to her Instagram account on Wednesday, sharing her skin cancer journey with fans.
She documented the surgical procedure she received to remove her 13th melanoma after immunotherapy cream treatment failed to produce the desired results, according to People. The 42-year-old detailed her experience and cautioned fans to take preventative measures when it comes to their health.
“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),” she wrote.
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“Please get your skin checked. I promise you do not want to go through this,” Mellencamp advised her 1 million followers. “I specifically went through a ‘wide excision melanoma, soft tissue defect reconstruction with adjacent tissue rearrangement.”
The reality TV star’s photos showed her lying in her hospital bed after the procedure. One particular image showed dotted lines drawn her back diagramming the proposed incision site. The damage to her skin from the melanoma was easily visible.
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The reality TV star maintained a positive outlook, in spite of the stressful circumstances.
“But the pain and discomfort are all worth it,” Mellencamp wrote to her Instagram page.
She also made sure to thank her fans and her loyal followers for their support. (RELATED: Hugh Jackman Issues Stark Warning To Fans After Facing Health Scare)
“The outpouring of love and prayers in the comments and DMs has left me speechless (which is tough). I wish I could respond to everyone but please know I am forever grateful,” Mellencamp wrote.