Khloe Kardashian: Lamar Odom was unaware of Caitlyn Jenner's transition

LOS ANGELES, March 30 (UPI) -- Khloe Kardashian says former stepparent Caitlyn Jenner's transition came as a surprise to estranged husband Lamar Odom.

The 31-year-old reality star revealed Odom was so removed from public life that he was clueless about Jenner's gender transition for months. Odom first met Caitlyn in the hospital after being discovered unconscious in a Las Vegas brothel in October.

"[Lamar] was in the hospital [and] Caitlyn was like, 'I want to come see Lamar,'" Kardashian recalled Wednesday on Kocktails with Khloe. "Lamar did not know about Caitlyn at that time. Lamar was in a coma and in the hospital for four months and I kept Lamar very sheltered."

"During that time was when Caitlyn was transitioning, and also prior to Lamar's accident, Lamar was not in the best state," she explained. "I can't guarantee you he was watching television. I [know] the state he was in and it wasn't healthy."

"So, when Caitlyn wanted to come and visit Lamar for the first time [he] was in the hospital," the star said. "I wanted to respect Caitlyn being Caitlyn but [Lamar was going through a lot]."

Jenner revealed she is transgender in April and debuted her new look on the cover of Vanity Fair in June. She has since documented her transition on E! series I Am Cait, which returned for a second season March 6.

Lamar, meanwhile, is continuing to recover with Kardashian by his side. The 36-year-old former NBA star struggled with substance abuse prior to his hospitalization and caused concern this week after photos surfaced of him at a bar.

"I hate this feeling.... Helpless," Kardashian tweeted following the news. Sources told TMZ the reality star and Odom's family are encouraging the former basketball player to seek treatment for addiction.