RHOC's Gina Kirschenheiter avoids prying into Jeana Keough's health
Last month, it was revealed that Jeana Keough is battling tongue cancer.
Real Housewives of Orange County's Gina Kirschenheiter has been careful not to pry into her former co-star Jeana Keough's health as she battles tongue cancer.
Last month, the 70-year-old TV personality's daughter Kara Keough, 37, revealed Jeana initially thought a tooth was "rubbing" on her tongue, but tests confirmed the disease had spread.
Gina, 42, told Us Weekly: "The last [I saw] Jeana [was] this season, and we have a very good mutual friend, so I kind of knew what was going on with her. I just gave her really big hugs the night that I did see her.
"You know, she has so much she’s going through right now. The last thing she needs is another housewife, you know, poking around in her business."
She added: "What was so sad too? She met this, like, great guy [at the time] and she was, like, so excited about that. And then this all happened, and I feel like, oh, it was just so sad to watch her get to such a good, happy place, and then have this all happen. It’s very sad."
But Gina and her fellow Real Housewives stars are ready to support Jeana with anything she needs.
She said: "I think that everyone rallies around, you know? Anyone who’s going through anything. It’s like a sisterhood. So we, our hearts go out to Jeana and her family, and you know, if she needs anything we’re here for her."
Last month, Kara set up a GoFundMe crowdfunder to help support her mom, and she has used the page to provide health updates.
On Thursday, the actress said Jeana is home after she finished her final round of radiation and chemotherapy, but the "next two weeks will be the roughest on her physically" while dealing with severe pain, nausea, and relying on a feeding tube.
On July 31, Kara shared she, her mom's boyfriend Thomas, and her brother Colton, "have been in a rotation of care and she’s being monitored by at least one of us at all times".
Kara added: "She isn’t speaking right now, or swallowing anything, but she’s making her thoughts known via texts. She’s still trying to take care of everyone else, but we’re trying to remind her that her priority needs to be her recovery.
"She’s looking at a likely 2-6 months of the feeding tube, in the hopes that she regains function to swallow the necessary nutrition and hydration.
"It’ll be an uphill climb and even with all this treatment, it’s still only a 40-60 per cent chance for total and complete healing within the next 5 years (sic).
In July, Jeana's cancer treatment was paused after she was discovered to have an infection and a blood clot on her leg.
Kara penned on Instagram: "It’s tough to field all the questions individually - because so many folks love and care about Mama Jeans, so updating friends and family here.
"Jeana was scheduled to get the G-tube this morning so she can get some nutrition. She hasn’t been able to eat a meal for 2 weeks, so she’s extremely depleted. We uncovered a DVT clot in her leg, and now an infection, too.
"The feeding tube can’t be put directly into her stomach until there’s clarity on the infection. Chemo and radiation is temporarily paused so we can figure this out but you better believe Jeana is insisting she only had a 'fake fever' and that she’s fine to continue with the surgery.
"Prayer needs: that this infection clears quickly, that she can get the G-tube surgery imminently so that hangry Jeana doesn’t murder someone, and that we can quickly resume treatment so that this torment can be put in the rear view mirror. (sic)"
Also last month, Kara revealed her mom had been diagnosed with tongue cancer.
Taking to the GoFundMe page, she wrote: "A few months ago, while visiting Shane and me in Florida, my mom mentioned a painful spot on her tongue. She assumed a tooth had been rubbing against it and had even gone to the dentist multiple times to have the tooth filed down.
"I asked her how long the sore had been there. She paused, thought about it, and realized it had been nearly a year. A biopsy confirmed our worst fear: squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.
"After surgery to remove the cancer, we were hopeful that the hardest part was behind her. But when doctors recommended a second surgery to remove lymph nodes, they discovered the cancer had spread. What we thought would be a one-time surgery became a full cancer battle.
"Jeana is now in her fifth week of chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. The treatments are relentless.
"She is exhausted, struggling to stay awake, and becoming malnourished because the pain in her tongue and throat makes swallowing even the smallest bites or sips incredibly difficult.
"Every day is a battle just to get enough nutrition and hydration to continue treatment. (sic)"
Kara admitted the situation is even harder because of the "enormous financial burden" Jeana is facing due to a loss of income while she's having treatment.
She wrote: "On top of the physical toll, she has been unable to work. Because her job is commission-based, the loss of income has created an enormous financial burden at the very time she needs to focus all of her energy on healing."
So far, over $74,000 has been raised on the GoFundMe page.
