Yikes! Tammy Faye on Larry King

[YankeyMCC]

Just flipping through the channels and saw Tammy Faye. Her appearance just shocked me. Perhaps disturbed is a better word. I haven't seen her years so maybe I just missed the progression. She's ill with cancer too so I imagine that is a factor yet it's clear it's also her makeup and whatever she's done to herself in pursuit of her idea of beauty.

I'm not posting this to say "haha" or poke fun at her, I did that back in the day, I'm posting this just out of pure human shock that another human could be made to look like that. Disturbing.

[kskiska]

1. I saw.

She's been on Larry King from time to time and has looked progressively worse. The last time she was on she said she weighed 85 pounds. I'd guess that now she's down to about 50. That's no plastic surgery. She's had Stage IV(?) cancer for quite some time now. It began with a neglected case of colon cancer due to the embarrassment of a doctor's visit. By the time she was operated on it had spread to her lungs and other organs. She's at death's door - any minute.

[bicentennial_baby]

2. I heard 62 lbs yesterday

sad... :(

[Radio_Lady]

7. I hope she passes soon and that she is comforted. She must be very brave... and goodness knows,

I wouldn't want to be on television in that condition.

I'm just too vain.

In peace,

Radio Lady in Oregon

[Radio_Lady]

34. Tammy Faye Messner is gone. Age 65. Cancer. God rest her soul.

I am lighting the candle I promised to light. You can see it at this link:

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=3954685

www.gratefulness.org

[xmas74]

3. She's dying.

She knows what she looks like but I think she thinks she's making herself look as nice as she can, considering the circumstances. The makeup is probably too much (as usual) but still she's probably lucky she can even hold a mascara wand at this stage.

[cmkramer]

10. some of the "makeup" is permanent

She has said that she had permanent eyeliner put on some years ago.

[xmas74]

25. More power to her.

If she likes the way she looks good for her.

[LostinVA]

4. She's a very nice woman literally at death's door

Cancer did that to her, not beauty.

[Taverner]

5. Cancer is one fucked up disease

That's all I can say, having seen it...

[Radio_Lady]

6. I was shocked, too. So shocked I had to turn off the television.

I'd like to try to remember her in better days.

My husband lost his first wife to cancer when she was 34 years old.

He said she was only "skin and bones" when she managed to pull herself together to go to her son's Bar Mitzvah in 1971. I kept the dress she wore (size 5), but none of my stepchildren wanted it, so we gave it to charity.

When my husband and I went to see "Terms of Endearment" with Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger, he told me that the hospital scene was totally unrealistic. He said, "My dear wife looked like a skeleton with skin folding all over her, and tubes in and out of everywhere." The movie was totally inaccurate, and did not capture the stark illness in its last stages.

[Katina]

11. it depends

there are some cancers that kill quickly so the person does not get to that skin & bones stage. There are other cancers that are slow to matasticize, but when they do, they go to the brain and again, after years of battling, once it hits the brain, death happens within weeks and the patient is not skin and bones. The sad part, or maybe the good part, is that when it goes to the brain, the patient doesn't really know how bad they have gotten, and they just slip away. It's harder on the family that way, watching their loved one veg-out, but I think it's probably easier on the patient.
Please forgive me if I'm sounding cavelier about it. I'm not, I've just lost too many loved ones to that horrific disease.

[Radio_Lady]

13. I haven't had the opportunity to view this disease close up. My mother

had a cancer removed from high on her chest. But she didn't succumb to that -- she passed from atherosclerosis.

After Dad died, she didn't seem to have any reason to live. I am sorry I wasn't more supportive, but my life was very busy in 1991 and I just couldn't get close to her (either in distance or emotionally). I was actually in the hospital when my husband came to see me and told me my mother was found dead.

We flew down to Miami and did the cleaning out the apartment thing. A very difficult job, but my husband was really helpful, as was my closest gal pal who lived in Boca Raton.

[Midlodemocrat]

18. My friend Rich lost his first wife to cancer

Dead six weeks after the diagnosis.

[Radio_Lady]

28. My husband's first wife was diagnosed in June 1971; she was dead by October of that year.

A mother of three went at age 34 from stomach cancer.

What a tragedy!

I never filled her shoes for those three kids and she was always an angel who didn't ask them to clean up their rooms.

Tough act to follow, folks.

[xmas74]

31. My friend lost his mother to cancer.

She was diagnosed on a Friday and passed on that Sunday. It was lung and had spread to the brain before it was discovered. Once she received the diagnosis she just gave up.

[Left Is Write]

19. Radio Lady...

I found this lovely picture of her...



That seems a fitting one to remember her better days.

[Radio_Lady]

26. Beautiful photo, Left is Write. Thanks so much for posting.

She apparently found a kindred soul in her present husband. I hope he is soothed by family ties that bind -- after she departs this world.

Our time on this Earth is so brief; I think about it every day and try to enjoy each one.

I'll light a candle for Tammy Faye when she passes.

[Radio_Lady]

36. UPDATE to L I W: Posted the photo to my journal. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[querelle]

8. I Always Liked Tammy Faye

Even though I am an atheist, Tammy Faye always appealed to me as the friendly face of christianisty. She always "walked the walk" and "talked the talk". There was never any bullshit with that woman. She truly loved everybody and never condemned. As much as I don't believe the word of some philosopher named Jesus, she did. And that's not a bad thing for her. As much as I can pray (which quite frankly is not a lot)........I will think of her. She was a very sweet and underated woman.

I know! She's not dead yet! But it is immenent and I will think of her when she does die.

Q

[Radio_Lady]

14. She was pretty interesting character, all right. I felt drawn to her when I've seen her

previously, but found the picture of her near death overwhelming.

Maybe because death is looming ever closer to me in my late sixties.

She is apparently close to all of her children and she won't die alone, I'm sure.

Colon cancer is insidious. Everyone should have a FULL COLONOSCOPY at around age 50. Then, you don't have to do it except in ten year intervals.

[MonkeyFunk]

16. good advice

but Tammy Faye has lung cancer.

[Blue Diadem]

20. Actually you and RL are both correct. It began as colon cancer

snip: The cancer I had was colon cancer that took 8 years to spread to my left lung. It was inoperable; there was a 2” tumor & spots on my lung.

http://www.tammyfaye.com/notetfcancertherapy.htm

Same thing happened with my Mother, colon cancer metastasized to her lungs.

[terrya]

23. I was stunned to see that video.

The poor woman. My father died of cancer...colon and lung cancer, in fact. He wasted away physically much like Tammy Faye is.

I can only hope that Tammy Faye will live out her remaining time with not too much pain.

Good advice about getting a colonoscopy at 50. I did two years ago...I'm glad I did.

[Radio_Lady]

29. Check all the dip-sticks after age 50! And squash those breasts for a minute to keep them!

Women: The mammography machine squeeze: It only hurts for a moment or two.

Men: Let the good gloved doctor stick his finger up your butt. Don't be shy... he's done it thousands of times.

Good to hear that your digital rectal exam, mammograms, colonoscopy, PSA test etc. are all normal.

I'd like to keep living for a couple more decades. Don't know if that will happen, but I'm hoping.

Losing weight has been easy, even on a bland diet with erosive esophageal symptoms.

I've lost 9 pounds since my top weight last February.

I'll be happy to lose 20 more, and then I'll decide about the last ten.

[UTUSN]

9. Well, the person has cancer. Her ex- hasn't really*done* much repentance has he? I don;t know nt

[MonkeyFunk]

12. ugh

just watched it. Heartbreaking.

She's a nice lady - it's so sad to see this.

[xchrom]

15. god bless tammy faye. i think she's wonderful. n/t

[madinmaryland]

17. Cancer is a horrible disease, and I would not wish it upon anyone.

I get upset when I hear people (even here) bashing Tony Snow about his cancer.

[Taverner]

21. Cancer is our only real predator today

[Blue Diadem]

22. She remains so positive.

She wrote a message at her website on the 16th..check it out. She's still so positive and hoping to be able to eat a hamburger. I hope she can too..

http://www.tammyfaye.com/note20070716.asp

[JoDog]

32. Sense of humor intact, too

When Larry asked her what she hoped she would be remembered for, she said, "Oh, my eyelashes," then giggled.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

24. Drop her a line of encouragement...

at:

[e-mail]

She says she reads all her email -- I just send her my best wishes. She is truly a one-of-a-kind person, with a lot of spirit and warmth.

[SeattleGirl]

27. Thanks for that.

Just sent her one also.

[Digit]

30. I just sent her an email also.

Thanks for posting.

[terrya]

33. Thank you. I sent her a message, also.

I sent her a note sending my best wishes and thoughts. She is a one of a kind person. I agree with you.

[Jack_Dawson]

35. She passed n/t