Rebecca Gayheart embarked on a formidable battle with insurance companies to ensure her ex-husband, Eric Dane, received round-the-clock care amidst his relentless struggle with ALS. The "Jawbreaker" actress, now 54, penned a deeply personal essay for The Cut, where she shared that "Eric has 24/7 nurses now," despite their separation in 2018 from the "Grey's Anatomy" alum.
Dane revealed to PEOPLE in April that he had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease—a progressive degenerative disorder that affects nerve cells, ultimately leading to paralysis of the muscles. While medications can slow its progression, there is no cure, and those with ALS gradually lose their ability to speak, eat, walk, and breathe independently as the disease specifically targets nerve cells or motor neurons in the spine and brain.
Gayheart has taken the lead in managing Dane's medical care, sharing that navigating the healthcare system is a challenge in itself. "The health insurance company will deny you what you're asking for, and you have to appeal and then apply again," she wrote. When trying to secure home nursing care, she recounted, "the woman from his insurance said to me, 'You can keep applying, and I'll keep denying.' I was like, 'Oh? F that.' I was 'locked in,' as they say. I crashed out and then locked it in."
Despite previously describing her and Dane's dynamic as "super complicated," Gayheart refused to give up. She explained that they finally got approval after two appeals. The actress, who shares daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, with the "Euphoria" actor, said his care is divided into 21 shifts. "There are times when shifts aren't covered, so I cover them. Recently, there was a 12-hour shift I couldn't cover due to all the stuff the kids are doing. I had to call on two of Eric's friends, one of whom had never really taken care of him in that way," she explained. "I couldn't believe I had to ask someone to do this." Of course, when she asked for help, they both showed up and did a wonderful job.
However, this hasn't been the case with everyone. Gayheart explained that there are many people who used to be more present in her life who she now wonders, "Where'd they go?" She shared that she's "talked to my therapist about it a lot" and realized that "most people are not great in this situation because it's so heavy." "It's not easy for people," Gayheart explained. "So I don't hold any grudges toward anyone who hasn't shown up."
