Former "Real Housewives of Orange County" star Jeana Keough, 70, has experienced a health setback in her battle with tongue cancer. Her daughter, Kara, announced Tuesday that a planned feeding tube installation had to be postponed due to a newly discovered blood clot and an infection.
Keough has been struggling to eat for the past two weeks, leaving her "extremely depleted," according to her daughter. The feeding tube was intended to help alleviate these nutritional issues. However, doctors identified a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in Keough's leg and an infection, necessitating the halt of the procedure until her condition stabilizes.
Treatment Paused Amid Complications
Chemotherapy and radiation treatments have been temporarily paused to address the infection and blood clot. Kara Keough shared that her mother is insisting she is well enough to proceed with surgery, believing she only had a "fake fever."
Deep vein thrombosis involves blood clots forming in deep veins, most commonly in the legs. These clots can cause pain and swelling and pose a risk of traveling to the lungs, potentially causing a pulmonary embolism. Kara Keough explained that the feeding tube surgery could not proceed until doctors had "clarity on the infection."
She posted an update on Instagram, prefacing it by saying, "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." The post included a photo of Keough in a hospital bed. She is appealing for prayers for the infection to clear quickly, for the feeding tube surgery to be performed soon, and for treatment to resume so the ordeal can be put behind her.
Diagnosis and Initial Treatment
Keough was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue after complaining about a sore on her tongue for nearly a year. She initially believed a tooth was causing the irritation and had it filed down multiple times. A biopsy confirmed the cancer diagnosis.
Since the diagnosis, Keough has undergone two surgeries: one to remove the cancer and another to remove lymph nodes. Following the second surgery, doctors informed her that the cancer had spread, turning what was initially expected to be a single surgery into an ongoing battle.
Keough is currently in her fifth week of chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. Her daughter described the treatments as "relentless," noting that Keough is exhausted, struggles to stay awake, and is malnourished due to the pain in her tongue and throat, which makes swallowing difficult. Every day is a challenge to maintain adequate nutrition and hydration for treatment.
Financial Support Efforts
Due to her treatments, Keough has been unable to work at her commission-based job, leading to financial difficulties in covering medical expenses. Her daughter, Kara, and her partner, Kyle Bosworth, live on the other side of the country and are unable to provide consistent daily support for Keough's care.
Kara Keough organized a GoFundMe page to help with expenses, living costs, nutrition, and additional support needed during treatment. The page aims to raise funds to ensure her mother "is not fighting this battle alone." Within six hours of its creation, the page had raised over $23,000 toward a $26,000 goal. Notable donors include film producer Regina Manian, actor Mark Hammond, and fellow housewives Tamra Judge and Vicki Gunvalson.
Keough was one of the original stars of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" in 2005 and remained a main cast member for the first five seasons. She has made subsequent appearances on the show.