Selma Blair continues to Thrive
- Selma Blair was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in October 2018 after suffering with unexplained symptoms like falling, dropping things and memory issues for years. Today, she still struggles with symptoms, and it was her health that forced her to end her Dancing with the Stars run early.
- But despite having to quit the dancing show, Blair has kept busy and continues to thrive. She recently attended a book signing event for her memoir released earlier this year.
- Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system), according to the Mayo Clinic. Most people with MS go through periods of new symptoms or relapses followed by quiet periods of disease remission.
- As a part of our effort to support people with chronic conditions like Multiple Sclerosis, SurvivorNetTV has added a new block of programming specific to MS. It is our hope that these films inspire the nearly 1 million people living with MS in the United States.
Blair recently made quite a splash on the reality show Dancing with the Stars. Sadly, though, she had to withdraw from the intense competition due a change in her health relating to her ongoing health issues.
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“thank you @skylightbooks for having me & thank you everyone who came to the Mean Baby book signing yesterday,” she wrote on her Instagram story.Her memoir, Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up, was released on May 24 and explores how the Legally Blonde actress grew up and found her truth.
Selma Blair’s Multiple Sclerosis Battle
Selma Blair was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in October 2018 after suffering with unexplained symptoms like falling, dropping things and memory issues for years.
Rather than keeping her day-to-day challenges private, the actress and filmmaker has decided to share her journey and become a mental health and MS advocate for people everywhere.
For treatment, Blair underwent chemotherapy that caused her temporary hair loss and stem cell treatment.
"The disease modifiers did not work for me at the time, and I was really declining more rapidly than I found acceptable," Selma shared in 2019. "I had no intention of doing it, I was like, I'm not ruining my body, what's left of it. Why would I put this horrible drug, chemotherapy, in me? I don't have cancer. But I was kind of out of options and I was looking.
“I had more chemo than they usually do for cancer patients, because they almost kill you.”
And Blair still struggles with symptoms of the disease today as evidenced by her early departure from Dancing with the Stars. In a video that played prior to her “one last gentle dance” on the show, she explained that recent MRI results forced her to leave the show.
“The results came back, and it just all adds up to I can’t go on with the competition,” she said in an emotional conversation with her dance partner, Sasha Farber. “There’s just intensive bone trauma and inflammation among rips and tears.
“So I could do extensive damage that, of course, I do not want. I’ll have to settle in and get back to being a mom and showing them I have to pull back on something that I love doing.”
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In an inspiring show of bravery, Blair dedicated her final waltz to “everyone that has tried and hoped that they could do more but also the power in realizing when it’s time to walk away.”
Understanding Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system), according to the Mayo Clinic.
It causes the immune system to attack the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers which leads to communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body. Eventually, MS can cause permanent damage or deterioration of the nerves.
Signs and symptoms of MS can vary widely but may include:
- Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs that typically occurs on one side of your body at a time, or your legs and trunk
- Electric-shock sensations that occur with certain neck movements, especially bending the neck forward (Lhermitte sign)
- Tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait
- Partial or complete loss of vision, usually in one eye at a time, often with pain during eye movement
- Prolonged double vision
- Blurry vision
- Slurred speech
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Tingling or pain in parts of your body
- Problems with sexual, bowel and bladder function
Most people with MS go through periods of new symptoms or relapses followed by quiet periods of disease remission. These relapses can develop over days or weeks and the remission periods can last for months or even years.
Inspiring Stories for People with Multiple Sclerosis
As a part of our effort to support people with chronic conditions like Multiple Sclerosis, SurvivorNetTV has added a new block of programming specific to MS. It is our hope that these films inspire the nearly 1 million people living with MS in the United States.
RELATED: Check Out SurvivorNetTV’s Multiple Sclerosis Programming
SurvivorNetTV's film Defying All Odds, for example, follows the story of Dr. Terry Wahls a world-renowned doctor and scientist determined to continue practicing medicine even after being diagnosed with a severe form of multiple sclerosis (MS).
SurvivorNetTV Presents: Defying All Odds A World-Renowned Doctor's Incredible Journey Through MS
Another film, Don't Stop Me Now, takes a look at MS warrior Louise Carr’s inspiring battle against the disease that causes her daily pain, fatigue, memory loss and restricted movement.
"I might have MS, but it doesn't have me," she tells SurvivorNet.
'Don't Stop Me Now' Is Inspiration for Anybody With Multiple Sclerosis
To help with her symptoms, Carr tried switching to a vegan diet, taking on yoga and Zumba classes as well as riding a recumbent bike.
"To my absolute astonishment within a week of becoming vegan my energy levels absolutely shot up,” she said. “It's changed my life."
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