Actor Steven W. Bailey, known for his role as bartender Joe on "Grey's Anatomy," has announced he has been diagnosed with congenital myasthenia syndrome, a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder.

Bailey, 54, shared the news in an open letter posted to X on Friday, Jan. 2, revealing that he had "spent years being cautious, private and quiet" about a health condition that has been shaping his life and career. The actor appeared in more than 30 episodes of the long-running ABC medical drama during seasons one through seven as Joe, the owner of Emerald City Bar near Seattle Grace Hospital.

Congenital myasthenia syndrome, or CMS, is a group of rare hereditary conditions caused by a gene difference that disrupts communication between the brain and muscles at the nerve-muscle junction. According to the Mayo Clinic, CMS results in muscle weakness that worsens with physical activity, and can affect any muscles used for movement, including those that control speaking, chewing, swallowing, seeing, blinking, breathing, and walking.

Bailey explained that his hands, arms, and legs tire more quickly than they should, making them weaker than expected. "Sustained repetitive movements are particularly difficult and can cause my muscles to temporarily tighten and shut down," he wrote. The actor noted that as his disease progresses, he has been using a powered wheelchair more frequently to get around, describing himself as an "ambulatory wheelchair user" who walks some, then sits, then uses the wheelchair in a cycle, Deadline reported.

The diagnosis has also begun affecting Bailey's professional life. "Professionally, this is changing me as an actor," he acknowledged. While he can still perform on his feet in a limited capacity and navigate simple scenes, Bailey said it is time for his work to incorporate more wheelchair use moving forward.

Bailey, who has also appeared in "NCIS," "Modern Family," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Scandal," and Netflix's "You," said he kept his medical struggles private for several years "out of career caution, diagnostic uncertainty, and being private about such things." However, he decided it was time to stop hiding his diagnosis and embrace the next chapter of his life and career.

"I look forward to performing as characters who live their lives with a chair, creating a more representative world in film and television," Bailey wrote, concluding his post with "Same guy. Same actor. Same artist. Now with wheels," as per People.

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