Jeana Keough is facing an uphill, but not impossible, battle.
The Real Housewives of Orange County star — who can’t speak at the moment as she undergoes tongue cancer treatment — remained positive yet realistic while discussing her prognosis with Page Six via email.
“It’s upsetting to know that even after all this treatment, I still only have a 40 to 60 percent cure rate within the next five years. We’re just praying that I’m on the good side of that coin flip,” she shared.
“I can see the finish line now, but I’m hearing it’s a long climb to recovery and that I’ll likely have the feeding tube for two to six months.”
Keough’s treatment plan has included radiation five days a week, chemotherapy once a week and some immunotherapy. She’s also been subjected to “lots of blood work” and intravenous hydration.
The 70-year-old was relieved to tell us she has only a few more days of radiation to go and just completed her last round of chemo, which usually “wipes [her] out for the remainder of the week.”
However, she said that “due to the location and spread of the cancer, the effects of the radiation have been the worst part,” elaborating, “My whole neck and mouth and head light up in heat, pain and soreness, and the resulting inflammation of my throat and tongue makes talking, swallowing or breathing through my mouth incredibly painful.”
She continued, “I can no longer swallow without gagging and then vomiting, which hurts like hell with a raw and inflamed throat and tongue.”
After “weeks” of struggling with these unbearable symptoms, Keough was admitted to the hospital for malnourishment and dehydration, but a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) blood clot “complicated the visit.”
After that was tackled, she was able to undergo surgery to have a feeding tube placed directly into her stomach.
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“I’m now like a newborn baby being fed by my caregivers every three hours,” she told us. “I still have nausea and vomiting because of the chemo, and that really hurts now with the feeding tube incision being so fresh.”
Keough — who described herself as a “hyper-independent woman” — lamented, “It’s hard feeling so dependent on other people. … This has been a challenge unlike anything I’ve ever faced.”
The mother of three is leaning heavily on her children: son Shane Keough, daughter Kara Bosworth (both of whom live in Florida) and son Colton Keough. She has also received support from her friends, including several of her former co-stars, and her new boyfriend, Thomas.
In fact, Keough and her boyfriend had only just started dating when she received her cancer diagnosis.
“I called every doctor I knew to get their opinion. One of those doctors was a nice man I was on my second date with, Thomas,” she shared.
“Thomas has stuck with me through this cancer journey, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have him come into my life when I needed him most.”
She also praised Thomas’ sister, who happens to be a dentist.
“She took me under her wing and demanded the right and proper care for me after what she felt was a huge mistake by my dentist,” Jeana said.
Bosworth, 37, announced her mum’s cancer battle earlier this month, but the family added that they feel they could have — and should have — received a diagnosis sooner.
This story originally appeared on Page Six and is republished here with permission.