Selma Blair is an inspiration!
In her first TV interview since revealing her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in October 2018, the actress opened up about living with the unpredictable neurological disorder that has affected her muscles and voice.
Days after making her triumphant return to the red carpet at an Oscars party Sunday night (pictured above), the Legally Blonde actress told GMA’s Robin Roberts that she was “doing very well” and happy to shed light on her condition.
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Explaining that she was in the middle of a flare-up, which affected her speaking, the 46-year-old said:
“I am very happy to see you. Being able to just put out what being in the middle of an aggressive form of Multiple sclerosis is like. So my speech, I have spasmodic dysphonia right now. … It is interesting to be here to say this is what my particular case looks like right now.”
Blair admitted she “cried” after first receiving the diagnosis — but noted they weren’t “tears of panic.” She explained:
“I had tears. They weren’t tears of panic, they were tears of knowing that I now had to give in to a body that had loss of control and there was some relief in that.”
The actress had experienced symptoms for quite some time before learning she had MS, so receiving an official diagnosis gave her a sense of relief; especially after months of “giving it everything to seem normal” around her seven-year-old son Arthur.
She continued:
“There were times when I couldn’t take it and I was really struggling with how I’m going to get by in life… [I had been] self-medicating.”
Since learning about her condition, Blair said she reached out to Michael J. Fox, who has lived with Parkinson’s disease for decades, for advice.
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Now, with all the support she needs, including a very badass leather cane, Blair is hopeful that she can bring awareness to the disease.
She’s also confident about the improvement of her health. Blair’s doctor said she could regain 90 percent of her abilities within the next year, and she’s looking forward to reuniting with Roberts in 2020 to measure her progress.
The Cruel Intentions star is also is keeping her sense of humor about it. She joked:
“No one has the energy to talk when they’re in a flare-up, but I do because I love a camera.”
Ha! Love her positivity!
Watch the inspiring interview (below).
[Image via Sheri Determan/WENN.]