Lung cancer lays Tammy Faye Messner low

LOS ANGELES, July 19 (UPI) -- Lung cancer has reduced long-time televangelist Tammy Faye Messner to a skeletal 65 pounds and constant pain but she says her faith in God sustains her.

Messner, who was co-host of "The PTL Club" in the 1970s and '80s with her former husband, convicted felon Jim Bakker, and more recently was on the reality show "The Surreal Life," is being cared for at home, she said in an interview she did with CNN talk show host Larry King that was aired, in part, Wednesday night.

Messner, still wearing her trade-mark heavy eye-liner makeup, said she has pain in her back and stomach "all the time" but doesn't fear death much because "I'm going straight to heaven."

What "little bit" of fear she has is mostly for her children having to cope with her death, Messner said.

"For myself, I know where I'm headed," she said with a smile.

The 65-year-old Messner said she has asked her doctors not to tell her how much longer they think she will live because she doesn't want anything to weaken her faith.