Actress Selma Blair made waves last March after she walked the red carpet of the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscars Party with a cane in her hand. Recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), the 47-year-old actress made a statement when she sported the walking aide in her appearance which then inspired other people with disabilities.
Being open about her illness and the struggles that come with it, Blair has continued to inspire others with her Instagram posts chronicling her experiences with MS.
Dealing with Pain
Blair began opening up about the illness after her diagnosis in October of last year. Since then, she’s talked about finding walking difficult, having issues with her voice and even losing her eyelashes. And now, she’s discussing how she deals with the body pain she experiences as a person with MS.
In one of her Instagram posts, the ‘Legally Blonde’ actress shared an anecdote about waking up at night after having troubled dreams. She described feeling pain in various parts of her body from her leg to her back to her neck. In the post, she talked about breathing in and out and telling herself that she’s in a process of change and that she’s riding the wave of it.
In the end, Blair says that she feels comforted having the people who are in the same journey with her.
Mom Struggles
Being a mother of one, Blair has also shared about what having MS is like while raising a young kid. In a recent video post showing her on an Alinker walking bike, she told her 1.6 million followers that she never thought she’d ever need a cane or any mobility aid until she was old.
Blair has one son, Arthur Saint Bleick, born in 2011 to the actress and her then boyfriend Jason Bleick, who is a fashion designer. The couple ultimately separated in 2012 after two years of dating. They reportedly share custody of their now seven-year-old son.
She’s also talked about how she broke the news of her diagnosis to her son. According to Blair, Arthur nearly cried and asked her whether the disease was going to kill her. She then explained to him that the diagnosis doesn’t mean certain death.
What MS Is
MS is an oftentimes disabling illness that targets the body’s central nervous system. Having the disease means that the body’s immune system attacks its own nerve endings which then disrupts the connection between the body and the brain.
According to data from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, only 2.3 million people in the world have MS. However, these figures are pegged to be higher due to possible underreporting.