Steven W. Bailey, greatest recognized to “Grey’s Anatomy” followers as Joe, the warmhearted bar proprietor whose pub grew to become a second dwelling for Seattle Grace medical doctors, is opening up a few deeply private well being battle he’s been quietly dealing with for years. The 54-year-old actor revealed this week that he has been identified with congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS), a uncommon, genetic neuromuscular situation that disrupts communication between nerve and muscle cells, resulting in progressive muscle weak point. Bailey shared the information in a candid X (previously Twitter) thread, explaining that whereas he has lived with signs for greater than 5 years, he intentionally stored his prognosis non-public… till now.
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Gray’s Anatomy’ Actor Steven W. Bailey Opens Up About Dwelling With Uncommon Muscle Dysfunction
“Out of profession warning, diagnostic uncertainty, and being non-public about such issues normally, I’ve been hiding my battle with this illness for over 5 years,” Bailey wrote. “Time to cease.”
In response to the Cleveland Clinic, CMS happens when nerve alerts fail to correctly activate muscle groups, which means bodily exercise can rapidly result in fatigue and weak point. For Bailey, that actuality has turn out to be more and more seen in on a regular basis life.
“My muscle groups aren’t clearly receiving all my mind’s orders to do all of the swell issues muscle groups are supposed to do,” the “Gray’s Anatomy” actor defined, including that his arms, arms, and legs tire far quicker than anticipated. Sustained or repetitive actions, he famous, may even trigger his muscle groups to briefly “tighten and shut down.”
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Studying To Reside Between Strolling And Wheeling
Whereas Bailey can nonetheless stroll quick distances, like taking his canine across the block or working fast errands, he now often depends on a powered wheelchair to get round. The “Gray’s Anatomy” star describes himself as an ambulatory wheelchair person, shifting between strolling and wheeling as his physique permits.
“I ambulate some, then I sit, I ‘wheelchair’ about, ambulate, sit, after which, , ambulate,” he wrote, sharing that the back-and-forth has led to sudden and generally humorous moments, like standing up in a division retailer to assist a stranger attain an merchandise on a excessive shelf, regardless of utilizing a wheelchair minutes earlier.
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‘Gray’s Anatomy’ Star Steven W. Bailey Says His Appearing Profession Is Getting into A New Chapter
Bailey acknowledged that the development of his situation means his life and his work will look completely different shifting ahead. “Virtually talking, shifting ahead, it’s time for my work, like in my life, to start out skewing extra wheelchair,” he shared. “Handed that point, actually.”
Nonetheless, the “Gray’s Anatomy” actor is obvious that his talents and his ardour stay intact. He emphasised that he can nonetheless carry out, together with dealing with “walks and talks,” rising to his ft when wanted, and totally embodying characters on display screen. “I’m the identical man. Similar actor. Similar artist,” Bailey wrote. “Now with wheels.”
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Bailey Says He’s Prepared To Maintain Working
Somewhat than stepping away, Bailey says he’s able to embrace what comes subsequent, each personally and professionally. By sharing his prognosis publicly, he hopes to open doorways not only for himself, however for larger incapacity illustration in movie and tv. “I’m hopeful that there’s nonetheless room for me on this business that I really like,” he wrote. “I sit up for performing as characters who reside their lives with a chair, making a extra consultant world in movie and tv.”
After years of quietly navigating his situation behind the scenes, Bailey says he’s not hiding. As an alternative, he’s rolling ahead, actually and figuratively, into a brand new chapter outlined not by limitation, however by honesty, visibility, and resilience.
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Steven W. Bailey’s Hollywood Resume Runs Deep
Past “Gray’s Anatomy,” Bailey has constructed a gradual profession over a long time in Hollywood, showing as a visitor star in a variety of tv exhibits throughout genres, together with “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Scandal,” “Chicago Fireplace,” “Fashionable Household,” “NCIS,” “Bones,” “You,” and extra.
Now 54, Bailey has continued working persistently whereas navigating well being challenges privately for years. As he steps into this subsequent chapter extra publicly, the actor is making it clear that whereas the way in which he strikes by way of the world could also be altering, his identification as a performer stays firmly intact.
