RHOC star Jeana Keough suffers devastating health setback amid tongue cancer battle

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Former Real Housewives Of Orange County star Jeana Keough's newly announced cancer battle took a turn for the worse on Tuesday.

The 70-year-old reality star's daughter, Kara, shared in an Instagram post that her mother had been struggling to eat for the past two weeks as she undergoes treatment for tongue cancer.

But just when Keough was set to have a feeding tube installed that could ease her nutritional issues, her doctors had to call the procedure off after discovering that she was suffering from a potentially dangerous blood clot and an infection.

The dispiriting update comes just days after Keough's 37-year-old daughter revealed her mother's new health battle in a GoFundMe account set up to help pay for her medical treatments.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Keough for comment but has not yet heard back. 

'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,' Kara prefaced her post, which included a photo of her mother looking miserable while lying in a hospital bed and hooked up to IV fluids.

'Jeana was scheduled to get the G-tube this morning so she can get some nutrition,' Kara shared. 'She hasn't been able to eat a meal for 2 weeks, so she's extremely depleted.'

But the procedure was called off once doctors 'uncovered a DVT [deep vein thrombosis] clot in her leg, and now an infection, too.'

According to the Mayo Clinic, deep vein thrombosis refers to blood clots that form in the deep veins of the body, with the legs being the most common location.

The clots can cause pain and swelling at the site, but they also carry an even greater risk, as the clots can break free and travel to the lungs, where they can block blood flow to the lungs, resulting in a potentially life-threatening condition called a pulmonary embolism.

Keough's daughter went on to explain that her mother couldn't have a feeding tube put into her stomach until her doctors had '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,' Kara continued.

She concluded her post with a call for prayers from her mother's friends and fans. 

'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.'

The comments were filled with fans wishing Keough the best through her tough medical ordeal.

'Ugh I'm so sorry- this is so unfair. I really hope she feels better soon and can get some nutrition!!' one user wrote. 

'Hang in there! You will all get through it! ❤️,' added another fan who added that their husband had successfully battled the same kind of cancer.

Others tried to be helpful by suggesting that Keough could temporarily get a nasogastric feeding tube – a catheter that snakes through the nostrils and down into the stomach to carry liquid sustenance – but Kara jumped into the replies to clarify that it would be impossible for her mother 'because her throat is riddled with sores and inflammation.'

In an interview with Us Weekly earlier this month, Kara admitted that her mother's prognosis was shrouded in uncertainty.

'We don't know. We won't know anything,' she said. 'I think she'll get cancer to bend to her will, like she does with everything else in life. We're choosing to stay in that mindset.'

The reality star's daughter Kara previously revealed that her mother had already undergone two surgeries after being diagnosed with tongue cancer.

The Real Housewives of Orange County star, who once said she was the original housewife that inspired the Bravo franchise, was diagnosed after complaining about a sore on her tongue.  

'A few months ago, while visiting Shane and me in Florida, my mom mentioned a painful spot on her tongue,' Kara wrote in her family's GoFundMe.

'She assumed a tooth had been rubbing against it and had even gone to the dentist multiple times to have the tooth filed down,' she added.

She also recalled she asked her mother how long the sore had been on her tongue and bothering her, to which Keough had 'paused, thought about it, and realized it had been nearly a year. 

'A biopsy confirmed our worst fear: squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue,' she continued.

Kara also said Keough underwent two surgeries since then - one to remove the cancer and another to 'remove lymph nodes.' 

However, the second surgery resulted in doctors coming back to Keough to inform her that they discovered the spread of the cancer. 

'What we thought would be a one-time surgery became a full cancer battle,' Kara explained. 

'Jeana is now in her fifth week of chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy,' her daughter wrote before describing the treatments as '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,' she continued. 

'Every day is a battle just to get enough nutrition and hydration to continue treatment.' 

Kara also said that due to the treatments, her mother has been unable to work and had to stop her commission-based job. 

Because of the loss of income, she said they were struggling to pay for the cancer treatments. 

Kara explained that she and her partner Kyle Bosworth are unable to help much as they live on the other side of the country with three young children. 

'We've often wished we could simply be there to help with the everyday things that become overwhelming during cancer treatment,' Kara wrote. 

While visiting her mother and 'seeing firsthand what she's facing,' Kara added: 'I realize even more how much support she needs - not just while I'm here, but after I return home. 

'My brothers [Shane and Colton] and I want to help make sure Mom feels cared for, loved, and supported throughout this fight,' she continued. 

Kara said the donations will go toward 'expenses, everyday living costs, nutrition, and the additional support she needs while undergoing treatment' and 'remind her that she is not fighting this battle alone.' 

Kara organized the GoFundMe page on Sunday, and in just six hours, over $23,000 was raised for Jeana's 'ongoing need' for 'monthly support' out of a $26,000 goal. 

A slew of supporters made donations, including several notable names. 

Among the supporters were film producer Regina Manian, actor Mark Hammond and fellow housewives Tamra Judge and Vicki Gunvalson. 

Keough has spent years in front of the camera.

As an actress, she has numerous credits under her name - including an appearance on an episode of Cheers.  

Keough then became one of the first stars of The Real Housewives of Orange County in 2005. 

The Bravolebrity - whose introductory catchphrases included 'Money is a girl's best friend, and I love friends' - was a member of the show's main cast from season one to five.

She returned for various appearances on the show after departing the core cast.