Emma Caulfield Ford has disclosed that she received a multiple sclerosis diagnosis more than ten years ago.
The 49-year-old former "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Beverly Hills, 90210" actor claimed to have developed symptoms of the neurological ailment in 2010, when she first began to experience tingling, numbness, mood swings, pain, paralysis, and other symptoms.
Caulfield Ford described feeling worried after experiencing pins and needles on one side of her body the morning after waking up.
When I first started, I didn't have any health issues. Prior to commencing that position in 2010, when I was working on Marti Noxon's (executive producer) "Gigantic," I awoke one morning to the sensation of a million ants crawling across the left side of my face. That sensation you get after sitting in one place for too long," she remarked.
She added, "The feeling's gone and it's coming back like a rush of blood. I wouldn't say it fully went numb because I could still feel my nails and scratch it. But it was so boring.
The star of "WandaVision" claimed she talked to her acupuncturist, who advised her to have an MRI. Her neurologist initially thought it might be Bell's palsy, a transient weakening or paralysis of the facial muscles that often goes away on its own. On the other hand, MS can harm the nerves permanently.
Caulfield Ford's neurologist called her when she was getting ready for the filming of "Gigantic" to inform her of the findings of her MRI. "I just want to know, "What's up?" I think I had five minutes left. He then said, "You have MS." Exactly like that. It resembled an out-of-body encounter. "No, that's not feasible," I say. What are you talking about? I was like, she recalled.
"About it," the neurologist "was extremely matter-of-fact." Caulfield Ford, however, was in awe.
It was like a nightmare, literally. It turned out to be something significant. When I realised I had to leave for work, what do I do? she said.
Caulfield Ford, whose father was also given an MS diagnosis, claimed that she made the decision to reveal her condition to the world in order to avoid keeping it a secret from her 6-year-old daughter, who she shares with her husband Mark Leslie Ford.
"I'm sick and tired of lying. Beyond that, having a daughter has altered my outlook, as any parent can attest, she continued.
"I'm aware that she has a 30% higher likelihood of contracting this; it's just luck of the draw for her. She’s 6. She has recently begun first grade. She's just such an amazing little thing, and it made me think about how happy and active she is," she continued.
In the new Marvel series "Agatha: Coven of Chaos," the actor is expected to reprise her roles as Sarah Proctor and Dottie Jones from "WandaVision," and she claimed she is "doing OK right now."
"In all honesty, I don't feel like my attitude is disintegrating because of my concern for what might happen to other people. Just keep moving forward, she added.
