Jeana Keough’s Family Shares Heartbreaking Updates Amid Cancer Fight

Former Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC) star Jeana Keough is facing the toughest stretch of her tongue cancer battle, but her family is making sure to celebrate the little victories along the way.

The 70-year-old reality television personality recently finished her last radiation session and is resting at home. In an update shared on the family’s GoFundMe page, her daughter Kara Keough Bosworth let supporters know just how difficult the next steps will be.

“We were informed that these next two weeks will be the roughest on her physically — as the chemo and radiation are compounding and her body will be at its weakest point,” Kara wrote. “The radiation burns have now made it to the outer skin on her neck and even putting medicated cream on the area with the gentlest of touches causes her wincing pain.”

Tag-Teaming Care at Home

To help Keough get through the next few weeks, her adult children — Kara, Shane, and Colton — have organized a tag-team care rotation. With Kara preparing to return home to her own family in Florida, her brother Colton is stepping in to take over primary caregiving duties.

Keeping her comfortable has been tough on the family, especially since Keough is choosing to forgo narcotic pain medications despite the severe radiation burns.

“We’re still trying to find a nausea treatment that might prevent the painful vomiting but haven’t found the perfect solution yet,” Kara continued. “The pain is excruciating, and she refuses narcotics so it’s unfortunately a really tough challenge to accept.”

Celebrating the Small Victories

In previous updates, Kara said that the pain had made it nearly impossible for her mother to eat or drink anything. “Every day is a battle just to get enough nutrition and hydration to continue treatment,” Kara wrote. Fortunately, doctors were able to step in with a feeding tube.

“We’re rocking and rolling with the feeding tube, and I can feed her in the dark while she sleeps at this point, and she’s stopped losing weight,” Kara shared. “This is a win, and we’re taking it as such.”

Kara added that her mother recently accomplished another goal by swallowing a single sip of water.

“Another win,” Kara wrote, noting that taking small sips is “a very important task so she doesn’t lose her swallow function.”

Keough’s former Bravo co-stars have also stepped in to lend a hand. Original RHOC castmates Vicki Gunvalson and Tamra Judge both contributed to the GoFundMe, along with Real Housewives of New York (RHONY) alum Jill Zarin, to help cover her medical expenses while she focuses on her health.

With Colton stepping in to handle the day-to-day care, the family is taking it one step at a time. They’re holding onto hope that the immunotherapy does its job and that she’ll be able to speak comfortably and enjoy food again soon.