AceShowbiz - Teddi Mellencamp, known for her role on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," has opened up about the daunting challenge she faces as she battles stage 4 melanoma. She dished on her survival chance amid the health issues.

The 43-year-old reality star has been shockingly transparent about her treatment and prognosis, stating, "It's one of my favorite things to ask is ‘How long I got? What are my chances?' And they oftentimes say 50/50."

Mellencamp has been dealing with melanoma since 2022, initially diagnosed at stage 2. Despite undergoing around 16 surgeries, her condition worsened, leading to the discovery of multiple tumors in her brain and lungs by February of this year. Her journey took a critical turn as doctors needed to remove four substantial tumors from her brain immediately.

In explaining her treatment plan, Mellencamp notes that she is undergoing both radiation and immunotherapy, a relatively new approach developed only a decade ago to combat melanoma.

She described the comprehensive and taxing nature of these treatments, mentioning, "The hardest thing for me is I've always been a super active person, and I cannot do the things I was used to doing... I'm used to running seven miles, today I'm barely walking one."

Her candidness extends to how she communicates with her children - Slate, 12, Cruz, 10, and Dove, 5 - choosing honesty over unwarranted optimism. She shared, "I have not said that line to them since I've been back [from the hospital]… I don't want to lie to them."

Through this grim ordeal, Mellencamp maintains a laser focus on finding positivity and humor, using humor as a coping mechanism with her family. For instance, she and her kids make light of her forgetfulness caused by the tumors, saying, "The tumors!" as a quip to move past frustration.

Family and friends have rallied around her in support. Her sister, Justice, penned heartfelt messages and memories on social media, highlighting Mellencamp's bravery. Additionally, her estranged husband, Edwin Arroyave, has remained by her side, putting their divorce on hold to offer unwavering support.

Her famous father, John Mellencamp, also stands as a pillar of strength and humor, reminding her in a cheeky conversation that being bald due to radiation treatment was preferable to the alternative, "You could be dead."

Mellencamp continues to engage actively in life, recently taking part in a horse competition. Staying active is one of her efforts to fend off depression as she explained, "When I do too much laying [around], I get pretty sad."