Selma Blair reveals heartbreaking story failing a cartwheel with young son following MS diagnosis

Selma Blair has shared a heartbreaking story after she realised she could no longer do cartwheels with her son, following a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis earlier this year.

The 46-year-old actress revealed that she suffers with the condition, which affects the brain and spinal cord as the body mistakes myelin – which is supposed to protect the nerve fibres in the central nervous system – for a foreign body and attacks it.

And Selma has admitted that months after receiving her diagnosis, her body is slowly forgetting how to do things she used to take for granted, as the actress – who has son Arthur with fashion designer Jason Bleick – wrote on Instagram this week as she stayed at home for Thanksgiving.

I have been grieving recently. For the things I took for granted. A cartwheel for my son being one. I was the most gymnastic mom I knew, she began. A cartwheel was just as easy as taking a breath. But when I began to turn one yesterday on an impulse to show my son who had forgotten, it went all wrong. A jumble of confusion for this body I knew so well. A heap. A heap on the ground.

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And I tried to laugh. As did my son. But it was a turning point. Part of the grim realization. Is this just #ms or Is this still an exacerbation ? Five months and still same way. Or is this my new normal? And then more gets taken away.

The center will not hold. And as I write… neither will the rest of it. So I thank you all for propping me up. We all have something. Now how do we handle it? What do we do when the news
is old but dramatically altering our lives every day? Still grateful
(sic).

View this post on Instagram

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 dont know exactly what I will do 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 cant get help unless you ask. It can be overwhelming in the beginning. You want to sleep. You always want to sleep. So I dont 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

The actress reveal to her followers that she received her devastating diagnosis in August, explaining that she has potentially suffered with the disease for 15 years.

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She said that fellow actor and friend Elizabeth Berkley was the one who encouraged her to seek out a diagnosis as she wrote on social media: 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.

You cant get help unless you ask. It can be overwhelming in the beginning, Selma added. You want to sleep. You always want to sleep. So I dont have answers. You see, I want to sleep.

More: Selma Blair

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. (sic)

She ended her lengthy message: 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…

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