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Grey's Anatomy alum Steven W. Bailey has revealed his rare health diagnosis in an emotional social media update.
Over the weekend, the 54-year-old turned to his X account to share that he had been diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular disorder known as congenital myasthenia syndrome, or CMS.
Bailey, who appeared in over 30 episodes of the long-running medical drama as Joe, the owner of a bar near the show's fictional hospital during seasons 1 to 7, revealed that he had "spent years" being quiet about the diagnosis that has been "shaping [his] life and work."
CMS is a group of rare hereditary conditions caused by a gene difference that results in muscle weakness, worsening a person's physical ability, as per the Mayo Clinic.
"Any muscles used for movement can be affected, including muscles that control speaking, chewing and swallowing, seeing and blinking, breathing, and walking," the clinic states.
According to Bailey, he kept his medical struggles out of the public eye for several years "out of career caution, diagnostic uncertainty, and being private about such things," but said he decided it was "time to stop" hiding.
Explaining his condition, he penned, "The result being that my hands, arms and legs tire quicker than they should, which makes them weaker than, well … anticipated."
He continued, "Sustained repetitive movements are particularly difficult and can cause my muscles to temporarily tighten and shut down."
Accompanying the troubling diagnosis with a light-hearted joke, Bailey said that while his diagnosis has helped get him out of "doing the dishes and folding laundry in [his] household," it has also increasingly made walking difficult.
"The truth is, as my disease progresses, I have been using a powered wheelchair more and more to get around. Professionally, this is changing me as an actor."
Bailey said he's looking forward to play characters "who live their lives with a chair," highlighting the need for representation in films and television.
"Same guy. Same actor. Same artist. Now with wheels," Steven W. Bailey concluded the post.
Besides Grey's Anatomy, Bailey appeared in NCIS, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Modern Family and Scandal.
