Teddi Mellencamp: I've been open with my kids about my cancer battle
Teddi Mellencamp has kept her kids fully informed about her health struggles.
Teddi Mellencamp has been "very open and vulnerable" with her children about her cancer battle.
The 43-year-old reality star recently revealed that her tumors have "shrunk or disappeared", and that she's currently "on course" to make a recovery, amid her ongoing cancer battle.
Asked about her relationship with her kids, Teddi - who has Dove, five, Cruz, ten, and Slate, 12, with Edwin Arroyave - told 'Extra': "I've been very open and vulnerable with them on the days that I don't feel good and the days that I do, because I don't ever want them to think that I'm not 100 percent being there the way I used to be."
Teddi's kids have actually been a hugely supportive influence throughout her health journey.
She said: "They've been my caretakers and, like, my son every night will be like, ‘Do you want your elixir?’ And really, my elixir is half a Pedialyte and half sparkling water, and it's like we're trying to get the perfect combination, and every night he's like, ‘Blue raspberry or…?’ So, it's been really great to have them be helpers, and I'm so happy that I've been able to encourage them to share when they need help and when it's okay to be sad or happy."
Earlier this month, Teddi took to social media to reveal that her tumors had "shrunk".
The reality star wrote on Instagram: "One update I couldn’t wait to share!
"All tumors stage 4 (metastasized melanoma in my brain and lungs) shrunk or disappeared so I have 6ish more weeks of immunotherapy and doctors believe I will be healed if everything stays on course.
"Thank you to everyone who has sent their love, prayers, and positivity [heart emojis] (sic)"
Teddi also shared a positive update via an accompanying video message.
She said: "Honestly, the crying is already done, but I just finished with all of my scans and my tumors have significantly shrunk, which doctors believe means that this all will work and that I will be back to myself and feeling good.
"I have two more sessions of immunotherapy and then hopefully, I am done, and I will be cancer-free.
"I'm going to keep a positive outlook because that's the way my doctor just spoke to me. He's like, ‘You did this, you got this.'"
