The actor who brought us Mark Sloan in \u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy\u201d and Cal Jacobs in \u201cEuphoria\u201d is now receiving around-the-clock care as he battles amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). <\/p>\n
The update came from Eric Dane\u2019s wife Rebecca Gayheart, who split up with her husband in 2018 but reconnected<\/a> to help care for Dane and their family after his ALS diagnosis in April<\/a>, The Independent<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n \u201cEric has 24\/7 nurses now,\u201d Gayheart said according to the media outlet.<\/p>\n Dane\u2019s wife also spoke about her battle with insurance companies to gain approval for full-time care. <\/p>\n \u201cWith the nurses, the woman from his insurance said to me \u2018You can keep applying, and I\u2019ll keep denying,\u2019 I was like, Oh? [expletive] that,\u201d she said. \u201cI made it my mission. I was \u2018locked in,\u2019 as the kids would say. I crashed out, and then I locked in. And we got it approved after two appeals.\u201d<\/p>\n Gayheart said that weeks are divided into 21 shifts and during times when shifts aren\u2019t covered, she fills in. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all been really positive, and I think it\u2019s nice for the kids to see maybe a softer side of us,\u201d Gayheart said. \u201cIt\u2019s not that they have the hopes of us being together \u2014 kids always dream of their parents getting back together, and I think now ours don\u2019t because they understand the reality of the situation. And hopefully, what they see instead are two adults who are trying to be mature and focus on what\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n ALS, otherwise referred to as Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease, affects the nervous system. The non-curable disease affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, eventually causing paralysis and restricting essential bodily functions such as speaking, eating and breathing, according to the Mayo Clinic<\/a>. The CDC estimates<\/a> 33,000 people in the U.S. are currently diagnosed with ALS.<\/p>\n Since his diagnosis, Dane has been vocal<\/a> about his personal medical journey and has been spreading awareness about ALS. <\/p>\n Earlier this month, he also had an on-screen role playing Mathew, a firefighter and 9\/11 hero diagnosed with ALS in an episode of \u201cBrilliant Minds,\u201d PEOPLE<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n The actor called the experience \u201ccathartic,\u201d though he admitted the most challenging part was separating himself from a character whose struggles felt \u201cso real to him.\u201d<\/p>\n