Grey’s Anatomy Actor Steven W. Bailey Reveals Rare Neuromuscular Disease

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ actor Steven W. Bailey revealed he was diagnosed with rare neuromuscular disease.

In an “open letter” that he published in a thread on The 54-year-old actor, who played Joe, the owner of the fictional Emerald City Bar frequented by the main characters of the hit series during seasons one to seven, said he battled congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) after being diagnosed more than five years ago.

“I spent years remaining guarded, private and silent about something that shaped my life and my work,” Bailey began. “That time is over.”

He continued: “This is the craziest thing, but it turns out I have a pretty rare genetic neuromuscular disorder. Weird, right? It’s called Congenital myasthenia syndrome“.

CMS is a “group of rare inherited diseases caused by a genetic change leading to muscle weakness, which worsens with physical activity,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

“All muscles used for movement may be affected, including muscles that control speech, chewing and swallowing, vision and blinking, breathing and walking,” the medical center added.

Bailey then explained why he chose to keep his condition a secret after his first diagnosis.

“Out of professional caution, diagnostic uncertainty, and concern for confidentiality about these kinds of things in general, I have hidden my battle with this disease for over five years,” he wrote. “It’s time to stop.”

“CMS is a genetic disease that disrupts communication between the brain and muscle at the ‘nerve/muscle junction’…or whatever doctors call it,” Bailey explained. “There are billions of these junction daddies in a body, and an increasing number of mine seem to be blinking. Annoying little buggers, aren’t they?”

“The thing is, my muscles aren’t clearly getting all the commands from my brain to do all the things that muscles are supposed to do,” he continued. “It’s a chore.”

“The result is that my hands, arms, and legs tire faster than they should, making them weaker than, well…expected,” Bailey added. “Sustained repetitive movements are particularly difficult and can cause my muscles to tighten and temporarily shut down.”

While Bailey joked that his symptoms “often excuse me from the chores of doing dishes and folding laundry around my house,” he noted that “there are some downsides, too.”

The actor shared that his condition made it increasingly difficult for him to walk longer distances and move sustainably.

“I’m lucky enough to still be able to walk the dog around the block, move around my house, go to the store for a few quick items, etc.,” he wrote. “The truth is that as my illness progresses, I use an electric wheelchair more and more to get around.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, CMS symptoms often begins at birth or in early childhood, but mild forms may be diagnosed later. CMS is a lifelong condition and there is currently no cure, although medications can help manage symptoms.

Bailey, who has also appeared on other hit TV shows including “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” “NCIS,” “Community,” “Modern Family,” “Scandal,” “Shameless,” “Chicago Fire” and “You,” opened up about how the progression of her illness is affecting her career.

“Professionally, it changes me as an actor,” he wrote. “Just like walking my dog ​​around the block or helping at the store, I can still play standing up, in a limited way.”

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“I can work my way through simple ‘walks and talks’ with no problem,” Bailey continued. “I can always stand up to object to the judge, derail a town meeting, or yell at a cop for being a loose cannon.”

However, Bailey explained that he decided to move into more wheelchair-based roles as a necessary next step.

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“Practically, going forward, it’s time for my work, as in my life, to start skewing more wheelchair-biased, if you will. Those days are really over,” Bailey admitted. “But now I am here – no more hiding – with a clear understanding of my illness, the wheels firmly beneath me, ready for the next chapter of my life and career.”

“I hope there is still room for me this industry that I love. I look forward to playing characters who live their lives from a chair, creating a more representative world in film and television,” he continued.

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“And now that I think about it, I don’t need to jump up and object to the judge I mentioned earlier. They will hear me,” he added. “And I can derail any town meeting from my chair – no problem. And as for the loose cannons – well, you understand.”

“Same guy. Same actor. Same artist. Now with wheels,” he wrote while concluding his X-thread.