Actor Eric Dane has revealed how life has changed since being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), also known as ALS.
In his first television interview since he shared his health update, the 52-year-old recalled the symptoms that led to discovering his diagnosis about a year and a half ago.
“I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand,” Dane told Good Morning America.
Watch the video above.
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“I didn’t really think anything of it at the time. I thought maybe I had been texting too much or my hand was fatigued.
“A few weeks later I noticed it had gotten a little worse, so I went and saw a hand specialist who sent me to another hand specialist. I went and saw a neurologist who sent me to another neurologist who said this is way above my pay grade.”
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Dane continued, “I will never forget those three letters. It’s on me the second I wake up.”
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In Australia, ALS is more commonly known motor neurone disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it is “a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord”.
The disease is a rare and incurable condition that progressively weakens muscles and affects physical function. The exact cause is not known and there is currently no cure.
“My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working,” he said.
“I feel like maybe a couple, few more months, and I won’t have my left hand [functioning] either,” he added.
While he can still walk now, he is worried about the functionality of his legs.
He recalled a scary experience while snorkelling with his daughter, when he realised he couldn’t swim back to their boat because he didn’t have the energy.
His daughter had to rescue him.
“She dragged me back to the boat,” Dane said.
“I was like, breaking down in tears. I made sure she got back to the water with her friend and continued on with the snorkelling. I was just heart broken.”
Dane rose to fame on Grey’s Anatomy, where he played the handsome Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy from 2006 – 2012.
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Most recently he returned to the spotlight, playing Cal Jacobs, the troubled father to Jacob Elordi’s character in Euphoria.
Dane shares two teen daughters with actress Rebecca Gayheart.
“I talk to her every day,” Dane said of Gayheart.
“We have managed to become better friends and better parents. And she is … probably my biggest champion and my most stalwart supporter. And I lean on her.”
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The couple tied the knot in 2004 and although they separated for a time, remain close.
He said he is focused on his family and continuing to work as long as he can.
“At the end of the day, just, all I want to do is spend time with my family and work a little bit if I can,” he said.
“I don’t think this is the end of my story. I just don’t feel like, in my heart, I don’t feel like this is the end of me.’
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