‘Real Housewives’ star Teddi Mellencamp reveals she struggles to see and write after brain surgery
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Teddi Mellencamp has opened up about her struggles with writing and vision following brain surgery for stage 4 cancer, admitting that she does not want to keep feeling sorry for herself.
The 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' alum, 45, shared emotional videos on Instagram Stories on October 26, explaining her determination to rebuild her life and embrace a new version of herself.
Teddi Mellencamp discusses recovery challenges and her return to fitness
“I’m not gonna try to be the old Teddi, but I’m gonna try to be the new and improved Teddi,” Mellencamp said in the videos, showing her pill organiser and discussing her daily struggles. She revealed that her hand shakes when she wakes up and admitted that she had stopped making her bed.
However, she said she wanted to change her routine by making her bed, taking her medication and putting on workout clothes. Mellencamp was first diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, in 2022.
After undergoing surgeries, she revealed in April 2025 that the cancer had metastasized to her brain and lungs. She subsequently underwent brain surgery to remove four tumors and has continued receiving regular immunotherapy treatments.
The fitness enthusiast and founder of the lifestyle coaching service All In said she was trusting that consistent physical activity would help her mind and body heal. She returned to the treadmill for the first time in more than a year but encountered another hurdle when she could not remember her login details and password.
“I’m not good with numbers. I can’t write. It’s hard for me to see,” Mellencamp said, her voice trembling. She attributed these difficulties to her brain surgeries and admitted that feeling sorry for herself had been affecting her motivation.
She explained that her goal was to feel comfortable in her own skin again. Rather than focusing on weighing 38 pounds more than before her illness, she wanted to approach her recovery knowing that she was a different person.
“Her journey,” she said, was “not about the number on the scale” but about the effects of steroids, immunotherapy and brain surgeries, alongside her personal decision to feel better.
Teddi Mellencamp celebrates support and completes first jog in two years
Mellencamp continued recording herself despite becoming emotional, admitting that she cringed when she saw people holding cameras while crying. She clarified that her tears reflected gratitude for the support she had received from clients who had messaged her with encouragement.
She said their messages, including expressions of support and reminders that she was capable and worthy, meant a great deal to her. She acknowledged that recovery could take time and might look and feel different from what she expected. She also expressed gratitude for having her team alongside her as she began the process.
“Let’s hope I can get past day one, guys,” Mellencamp said. In a subsequent update, she revealed that her All In coaching team had helped her recover her treadmill login details and password. She then completed her “first jog in 2 years.”
“I don’t care if I only make it 10 minutes,” she wrote, adding that she was focused on “progress over perfection.” Mellencamp also shared a side-by-side comparison featuring photographs of herself wearing similar workout attire.
She explained that the photograph on the left was taken before her cancer diagnosis and treatment, while the one on the right showed her after two years of treatment. Reflecting on the comparison, she said she was not interested in becoming her former self again because that version of her had not been happy.
