'I am disabled': Selma Blair reveals she has multiple sclerosis

Lauren Tuck
·News Editor

Selma Blair has multiple sclerosis.

The actress shared on Instagram Saturday that she was diagnosed with the immune disease in August. The 46-year-old was inspired to share her health update by the kindness of costumer Allisa Swanson on the Netflix show they’re currently working on, Another Life. Blair wrote that Swanson “carefully gets my legs in my pants, pulls my tops over my head, buttons my coats and offers her shoulder to steady myself,” Blair wrote. “I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken gps. But we are doing it.”

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I was in this wardrobe fitting two days ago. And I am in the deepest gratitude. So profound, it is, I have decided to share. The brilliant costumer #Allisaswanson not only designs the pieces #harperglass will wear on this new #Netflix show , but she carefully gets my legs in my pants, pulls my tops over my head, buttons my coats and offers her shoulder to steady myself. I have #multiplesclerosis . I am in an exacerbation. By the grace of the lord, and will power and the understanding producers at Netflix , I have a job. A wonderful job. I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken gps. But we are doing it . And I laugh and I don’t know exactly what I will do from precisely but I will do my best. Since my diagnosis at ten thirty pm on The night of August 16, I have had love and support from my friends , especially @Jaime king @sarahmgellar @realfreddieprinze @tarasubkoff @noah.d.newman . My producers #noreenhalpern who assured me that everyone has something. #chrisregina #aaronmartin and every crew member… thank you. I am in the thick of it but I hope to give some hope to others. And even to myself. You can’t get help unless you ask. It can be overwhelming in the beginning. You want to sleep. You always want to sleep. So I don’t have answers. You see, I want to sleep. But I am a forthcoming person and I want my life to be full somehow. I want to play with my son again. I want to walk down the street and ride my horse. I have MS and I am ok. But if you see me , dropping crap all over the street, feel free to help me pick it up. It takes a whole day for me alone. Thank you and may we all know good days amongst the challenges. And the biggest thanks to @elizberkley who forced me to see her brother #drjasonberkley who gave me this diagnosis after finding lesions on that mri. I have had symptoms for years but was never taken seriously until I fell down in front of him trying to sort out what I thought was a pinched nerve. I have probably had this incurable disease for 15 years at least. And I am relieved to at least know. And share. 🖤 my instagram family… you know who you are.

A post shared by Selma Blair (@selmablair) on Oct 20, 2018 at 11:23am PDT

Blair, who said she was encouraged by fellow actress Elizabeth Berkley to see her brother, Jason Berkley, MD, apparently had MS symptoms for years and says she probably “had this incurable disease for 15 years at least.”

After finding lesions, which are typically found on the spinal cord or in the brain, she’s “been in the thick of it.” However, Blair says she hopes “to give some hope to others. And even to myself. … I want to play with my son again. I want to walk down the street and ride my horse.”

Blair said that she’s “OK” but added that “if you see me dropping crap all over the street, feel free to help me pick it up. It takes a whole day for me alone. Thank you and may we all know good days amongst the challenges.”

She also thanked some of her friends for their support, including Jaime King, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Freddie Prinze Jr.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the immune system of those who have MS attacks the myelin (a protective sheath that covers nerve fibers), which then causes communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body. The disease can cause permanent damage to nerves. According to a 2016 National Institute of Health study, approximately 400,000 people in the United States have MS. Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Jack Osbourne, Ann Romney and Montel Williams are among those affected.

In May, Blair, who has a 7-year-old son with her ex-boyfriend Jason Bleick admitted that she has “battled alcoholism and depression and anxiety” for years. In 2016, she had a breakdown on a flight that she said was a “total psychotic blackout” caused by an inadvertent combination of wine and a pill someone gave to her.

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