Christina Applegate Explains How M.S. Battle Has Impacted Her Life

A year ago, actress Christina Applegate, 50, broke the news that she had secretly been battling multiple sclerosis.

In a new interview with The New York Times, Applegate revealed that she has gained 40 lbs. and is unable to “walk without a cane” due to the chronic disease, which affects the brain and spinal cord.

Referencing her appearance, Christina said, “This is the first time anyone’s going to see me the way I am.”

“If people hate it, if people love it, if all they can concentrate on is, ‘Ooh, look at the cripple,’ that’s not up to me,” Applegate stressed. “I’m sure that people are going to be, like, ‘I can’t get past it. Fine, don’t get past it, then. But hopefully, people can get past it and just enjoy the ride and say goodbye to these two girls.”

Christina pointed out that she is “very aware of” the physical changes that her body has gone through.

Along with being “pissed,” Applegate admitted, “I’m never going to accept this.”

Despite her diagnosis, Christina pushed forward with shooting the final season of “Dead to Me.” She said, “The powers that be were like, ‘Let’s just stop. We don’t need to finish it. Let’s put a few episodes together.’ I said, ‘No. We’re going to do it, but we’re going to do it on my terms.’”

Christina learned about her diagnosis while shooting the Netflix show. Production was halted for five months. Of how she felt at the time, she recalled, “There was the sense of, ‘Well, let’s get her some medicine so she can get better.’ And there is no better. But it was good for me. I needed to process my loss of my life, my loss of that part of me. So I needed that time.”

Last year, Applegate tweeted her diagnosis, writing, “Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS. It’s been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition. It’s been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some a**hole blocks it.”

Christina went on, “As one of my friends that has MS said ‘We wake up and take the indicated action’. And that’s what I do. So now I ask for privacy. As I go through this thing. Thank you xo.”