• Actor Pia Bajpiee once had treatment for myositis.
• Simply remembering those trying times makes her tremble.
• She also admits that she can connect to Samantha.

Actor Pia Bajpiee once had treatment for myositis, and simply remembering those trying times makes her tremble. She also admits that she can connect to Samantha, an actor who just revealed that she has been diagnosed with the autoimmune disorder myositis and is taking a sabbatical from acting to heal.

Now, Bajpiee admits that in 2016, shortly before the release of her maiden film, Laal Rang, she suffered her own myositis scare. “Even the thought of it is scary because there is no cure, just medicines to keep it in check. I don’t know Samantha’s case, but all my prayers are with her, because I know what she must be going through,” the actor said.

Looking back at her own health scare, she recalls, “Back in 2016, I was sitting idle when I noticed a swelling in my foot, which I ignored thinking I twisted my ankle in the gym. But there was swelling in my other foot as well when I woke up the next day. I had bad muscle pain, which was just growing with time. I could not sit or stand up without winching with pain.”

The actor started to feel unwell at that point, so she went to the doctor, had some tests done, and the findings revealed that she had myositis. “First, I didn’t understand what it was despite the doctor trying hard to make me understand. I was not scared initially, but when I read all the symptoms and other information online, I was really scared. I was alone in Mumbai, and didn’t inform my family as well. I used to get up fearing that another symptom would show up,” says Bajpiee.

She next travelled to AIIMS in Delhi, where all the tests were repeated. “To my relief, it didn’t show that I had Myositis, and I just cried my heart out. I think it was a case of mixed reports, but one thing is that those days were dreadful for me,” she shares, adding, “Even when it was for a few days, I have gone through it. I can understand Samantha’s position, and hope best for her.”

The actress even acknowledges that those few days helped her realise that the truest form of wealth is good health. “And I don’t take it for granted anymore,” she ends.