Debbi Morgan is one of those actors who seems to be in every show you watch, from “What’s Happening!!” back in the 70s to “All My Children” today. While she spends most of her energy acting as someone else, the Emmy Award-winner revealed a personal attribute on the “Tom Joyner Morning Show.” She opened up about battling Lyme Disease, and said:
It’s nothing fatal. Lyme disease is an infection caused by the borrelia bacteria from a tick. It’s a chronic condition, and I’ve had it in my system for over 15 years.
In divulging this aspect of herself, she helped fans understand why she’s been absent from “All My Children” since December, helped us see more of who she is, and educated those who may not be familiar with the nature of Lyme Disease.
Along with other public figures who’ve come out with the disease, she implicitly gave Lyme sufferers permission to be candid with coworkers on the subject. To be sure, if you have Lyme Disease, taking care of yourself typically involves taking time off of work.
As a bonus, of late her name and image have been featured in numerous media outlets, helping increase her popularity. In fact, IMDB lists her STARmeter as up 18% this week. It feels callous to mention this fact, yet her profession is show business, where publicity matters.
We expect that number to keep rising.
If you live with Lyme, what has your experience been at work?
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