Jeana Keough, a star of The Real Housewives of Orange County, has been hospitalized after a recent tongue cancer diagnosis, with her family reporting she is suffering from severe malnutrition due to difficulty swallowing.
The 70-year-old was scheduled for a feeding tube, but a blood clot and infection delayed the procedure. Her daughter Kara Bosworth shared an update on Instagram on July 21, explaining that her mother “hasn’t been able to eat a meal for 2 weeks, so she’s extremely depleted.”
Blood Clot and Infection Complications
Kara added, “we uncovered a DVT clot in her leg, and now an infection, too.” Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in a vein, usually in the leg, and can pose serious health risks, according to the NHS.
In a GoFundMe created to help cover medical expenses, Kara previously explained that Jeana was “becoming malnourished because the pain in her tongue and throat makes swallowing even the smallest bites or sips incredibly difficult.”
Treatment Paused
Chemotherapy and radiation have been temporarily paused as the family figures out next steps. Kara explained: “The feeding tube can’t be put directly into her stomach until there’s clarity on the infection.”
Despite the setback, Kara assured fans that Jeana is not giving up. “You better believe Jeana is insisting she only had a ‘fake fever’ and that she’s fine to continue with the surgery,” Kara said. “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.”
Cancer Diagnosis
The update came two days after the family shared that the reality star had been diagnosed with cancer. In the GoFundMe, they explained she had been “diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue after she noticed a painful spot on her tongue and decided to get a biopsy.” Doctors recommended a second surgery to remove her lymph nodes, but tragically discovered the cancer had spread.
