Support pours in after Selma Blair shares MS diagnosis
Actress known for roles in The Sweetest Thing and Legally Blonde says she hopes 'to give some hope to others'
Stars and fans are offering support for actress Selma Blair, who says she's dealing with multiple sclerosis.
Blair, 46, made the announcement in an Instagram post Saturday. She says she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease — which affects the central nervous system — in August, but believes she's been exhibiting symptoms for years before.
'I will do my best'
Blair also explained what she experiences as a result of the illness.
I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken GPS.- Selma Blair on her MS diagnosis
"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."
Symptoms can be unpredictable and include extreme fatigue, lack of co-ordination, weakness and impaired sensation, according to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.
The Michigan-born actress said she is taking comfort in supportive friends and family.
"I laugh and I don't know exactly what I will do precisely, but I will do my best."
She expressed gratitude for her role on the upcoming sci-fi Netflix series Another Life and specifically to costume designer Allisa Swanson who she said helps her on the job.
"She carefully gets my legs in my pants, pulls my tops over my head, buttons my coats and offers her shoulder to steady myself," Blair wrote.
Blair has co-starred in a number of films and TV shows, including The Sweetest Thing alongside Cameron Diaz, the 2001 hit Legally Blonde and 1999 drama-romance Cruel Intentions.
Friends chime in
Her former Cruel Intentions co-star, Sarah Michelle Gellar, was among the many people offering support online.
"I love you, I'm proud of you, and there is nothing I wouldn't do for you," wrote Gellar.
Former Sopranos actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who was diagnosed with MS in 2002, wrote: "So proud of you."
Blair says she hopes to "give some hope to others."
"If you see me, dropping crap all over the street, feel free to help me pick it up," she wrote. "It takes a whole day for me alone."