Grey’s Anatomy’s Steven W. Bailey Diagnosed with Neuromuscular Disorder

Grey’s Anatomy alum Steven W. Bailey was diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular disorder called congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS).

Bailey, 54, explained on Friday, January 2, via [his] life and [his] Work. “

“That era is over,” he vowed. “The following is an open letter to everyone.”

Bailey began his letter by expressing his hope that his fellow entertainment industry colleagues “do well and don’t feel overburdened by life’s troubles,” before revealing his own struggles.

“Speaking of trouble, this is the scariest thing, but it turns out I have a fairly rare genetic neuromuscular disease. Weird, right? It’s called congenital myasthenic syndrome, or CMS,” he announced.

The Cleveland Clinic describes CMS as a group of “conditions that cause muscle weakness that worsens with physical activity.”

The actor said he hid his illness for five years “out of professional caution, the uncertainty of diagnosis and the confidentiality of such things”, although he now felt it was time to “stop” avoiding the truth.

“CMS is a genetic disorder that disrupts communication between the brain and muscles at the ‘nerve/muscle junction’…or whatever doctors call it,” he explains. “There are billions of connection points in the body, and mine seem to go by in the blink of an eye. That’s a lot of trouble, little guys—right?”

Bailey broke down the facts about CMS in detail, writing: “The point is this: My muscles were not receiving all of the commands from my brain clearly enough to do everything the muscles were supposed to do. It was a drag.”

“The result is that my hands, arms and legs tire faster than they should, which makes them weaker than expected,” he continued. “Sustained repetitive movements are particularly difficult and cause my muscles to temporarily tighten and cease activity.”

Bailey jokes that while his diagnosis has helped him escape a life of “washing dishes and folding laundry” [his] family,” which also increasingly hampered his ability to walk.

“I’m lucky that I’m currently still able to walk my dog ​​around the block, navigate my home, quickly pop into a store to buy a few items, etc.,” he noted. “But the reality is that as my disease progresses, I use a power wheelchair to get around more and more.”

this buffy the vampire slayer Alum confirms he ‘can still perform’ [his] Feet” has limited performance capabilities, including still being able to “stand up against a judge, disrupt a town meeting, or yell at the police” if necessary.

“Realistically, going forward, it’s time for my job, my life, if you will, to start using a wheelchair more. Really, that time has passed,” Bailey admitted. “But now that I’m here – no longer in hiding – I have a clear understanding of my disease, the wheels are firmly under my feet, and I’m ready for the next chapter of my life and career.”

Bailey reiterates he believes ‘there’s still room’ [him] in this industry” as he relies more on the use of a wheelchair.

“I’m looking forward to playing characters who live out of their chairs and creating a more representative world in film and television,” he added. “Now that I think about it, I don’t have to stand up against that judge I mentioned earlier. They’ll hear me. I can crash any town meeting from my chair—no problem. As far as loose cannons go—well, you get the idea.”

Bailey concluded his poignant message to fans with a self-affirming self-description: “Same guy. Same actor. Same artist. Now on wheels.”

The star received many well wishes from fans, with one X user replying: “Thank you for sharing your story! I hope to see you again on TV soon and I hope you continue to find a positive and fulfilling path forward, both personally and professionally.”

Bailey is probably best known for appearing in over 30 episodes of Grey’s Anatomy Starred in the show’s first seven seasons as Joe, the owner of a fictional bar near Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital. He also had memorable performances on the show NCIS, Angel, modern family and scandal.

Most recently, Bailey played union lawyer Mike Knowles in multiple episodes of the show. chicago firein addition to guest appearances you and brushed.