Teddi Mellencamp spoke about her ongoing struggles with writing and vision following brain surgery for stage 4 cancer. Despite these challenges, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star said she doesn’t want to “keep feeling sorry for myself.”
Teddi discusses vision and writing difficulties during recovery from brain surgery
On October 26, Teddi took to Instagram Stories to share a series of videos. She offered a glimpse into her daily routine, showing her pill organizer in a shaky video and saying, “This is how I wake up every morning. That’s my hand shaking.”
She said, as per People, “I have a little bit of this shake, and I have not been making my bed. All of this is going to change today. I mean, not the hand shaking part, but I’m going to make my bed, have my medication. And I’ve already got workout clothes on because I’m going to try to start to change my life today.”
The reality TV star’s cancer journey began in 2022, when she was diagnosed with Stage 2 melanoma. The disease is considered the deadliest form of skin cancer. She underwent radiation treatments and 17 surgeries to treat the invasive cancer.
However, in April 2025, she shared that the cancer had spread to her brain and lungs. She wrote in an Instagram caption at the time, “I have multiple tumors in my brain that weren’t able to be removed via surgery. I also have 2 tumors in my lungs. These are all metastases of my melanoma. The doctors are hopeful that immunotherapy will effectively treat them.” She also added, “I am feeling positive— that I will win this battle, that I got this wig.”
Teddi is the daughter of Hall of Fame rock star John Mellencamp. She shares three children with her estranged husband, Edwin Arroyave: Slate, 14, Cruz, 12, and Dove, 6. She also has a stepdaughter, Isabella Arroyave, from Edwin’s previous marriage to Christina Mecklenburg.
