“The Sopranos” Jamie-Lynn Sigler opened up about her MS diagnosis, and we’re so proud of her
Even though The Sopranos ended almost a decade ago, it’s still relevant today — in fact, it was just referenced in the Gilmore Girls revival. Unfortunately, show star Jamie-Lynn Sigler has been battling MS for quite some time, and had been pretty quiet about the diagnosis.
MS, or Multiple Sclerosis, involves the nerves failing to communicate properly with the brain. Symptoms, which include loss of vision, loss of balance, and fatigue, can be severe in some individuals.
When Sigler first discussed it, it took the world by surprise — since at that point, she was secretly battling the disease for about 15 years. In fact, the 35-year-old actress she just decided to open up about her struggles this January.
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"“I can’t walk for a long period of time without resting. I cannot run. No superhero roles for me," she said in an interview with People earlier this year.
She also admitted that working on The Sopranos sometimes got difficult. It was likely made worse, since she also hid the disease from the cast and crew.
"Sometimes all I needed was like five or 10 minutes to sit and recharge but I wouldn’t ask, because I didn’t want them to be suspicious," she said.
These days, she’s much more confident with talking about it in public. And part of the reason why she wanted the world to know was due to her son, Beau Kyle Dykstra, who she had with husband Cutter Dykstra in 2013.
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"The message I want to put out there is that it doesn’t define me, it’s part of me, but it’s not who I am. And so I’ve been really through the ups and downs with this journey of my life with relapsing MS, but figuring out how to still live as full life as possible," she said in a new interview.
As she grew older, she realized that she’d hate for Beau to be secretive about something so important — especially since it might send a message to others who are suffering.
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"I was thinking about my son and anticipating as he got older, I would never ask him to hold this secret for me. I want to be an example of strength and perseverance and pushing past my circumstances. And so I finally got ready to take my power back and be public with it," she added.
Sigler is still acting, and had a few small roles on notable television shows this year, including CSI: Cyber and Baby Daddy. We’re so happy that she’s still doing what she loves, and proving that anyone can stay strong against a diagnosis of MS.
