Jenny McCarthy recently shared details about a significant health struggle that led her to undergo a series of nine surgeries.
The 53-year-old former Playboy model revealed that her ordeal began with a seemingly minor mouth infection.
As a result, The Masked Singer judge faced multiple painful procedures and even experienced the alarming loss of some teeth during this unusual health scare.
In an interview with People, she explained, “This year alone, I’ve undergone nine surgeries on my mouth. It started with one infection that led to another, and eventually, I developed growths on my eyeballs.”
The root of the issue was a malfunctioning ceramic dental implant. “My teeth and implants were coming loose,” McCarthy shared, speaking as the wife of 56-year-old singer and actor Donnie Wahlberg, renowned for his roles in Blue Bloods and Boston Blue.
She further described how surgeons had to delve into her jawbone, discovering a severe bone infection. “I’ve been on antibiotics for a year and have stuck to a diet of soft foods,” she added.
Jenny McCarthy has opened up about her severe health issue which forced her to undergo nine surgeries; seen in April
On November 25, she and Wahlberg released their annual holiday card where they posed as toys inside a box.
McCarthy told the site she looked slender in the card because she has not been able to eat as much due to the stitches in her moth.
‘I had two more mouth surgeries even after that photo was taken,’ she says. ‘I’ve been pretty unlucky.
‘As of now, I’m able to chew again, but every time we thought it had cleared up, it came back again, I’d be in massive pain with my jaw swelling up, and at the same time I was getting these growths popping up on my eyeballs,’ she says. ‘People should actually feel a little sorry for me!’
She hopes she will be able to enjoy Thanksgiving with her spouse, she added.
‘It’s been a little tricky-wicky getting together,’ she said of their schedules. ‘I’ve been shooting The Masked Singer in Los Angeles, he’s been in Canada with Boston Blue.
‘So it’s been tricky and difficult, which means Thanksgiving and Christmas will mean more to us than ever this year. It’s just me and him, at home in Chicago, me cooking a bird, and enjoying each other.’
She hopes will be able to eat turkey. ‘I think I’m past the storm,’ she says. ‘I’m about to chow down!’
Seen left on Good Day New York in NYC in February and right in 2005 on the cover of Playboy magazine
The star will be spending Thanksgiving with her husband Donnie Wahlberg; seen in May
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In May, the star talked about her husband Wahlberg who used to be in the boy band New Kids on the Block.
She said she was too old to be a NKOTB fan because they formed in 1984 when she was already into other stars.
Jenny told People: ‘If I were in my late 40s, I probably would’ve fit into that slot of New Kid’s fan, but I’m 52, going on 53, so I was too cool for that.
‘I was really into Madonna, though. Like, dressed like her, I’d wear my shirt showing my bra strap. Absolutely loved her.’
However, she did see her future husband on TV during his heyday. She recalled: ‘The first time I remember seeing Donnie was on Entertainment Tonight, and he was on his motorcycle, and I was like, “Look at that guy trying to look so cool on his motorcycle!” It’s so funny… I never thought one day I would be marrying Donnie.’
L-R: Robin Thicke, McCarthy, Rita Ora and Ken Jeong on The Masked Singer in April
Although Jenny and Donnie first met in 2012 they didn’t start dating until a year later. They married on August 31, 2014.
The former Playmate has son Evan, 22, with her actor former husband John Asher, 54, while Donnie is dad to sons Xavier, 32, and Elijah, 23, with ex-wife Kim Fey.
Jenny and Donnie are so loved-up, they renew their wedding vows every year.
Appearing on the Let’s Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa podcast in 2024, Jenny said of their romantic tradition: ‘I used to make fun of celebrities when they would do it, or people in general, when they renew their vows.
‘I’m like, “That’s so corny and weird. Your wedding’s over. Just stay married,” and then Donnie — this is a tradition Donnie wanted to implement.’
