Emmy-winning actress Kristen Johnston, who is recovering from a lupus myelitis, feels grateful for each day that she spends and does not take anything for granted.
The 46-year-old '3rd Rock from the Sun' star could have ended up quadriplegic had she gone late for the treatment, according to her doctor, reported People Magazine.
"Every single day is a gift, and I don't take one second of it for granted," she said, adding, "If I had to live like that forever, I would have killed myself."
Johnston was clueless what had happened to her and she went to 17 doctors, who could not fugure out the problem.
By the time the auto-immune disease was diagnosed, it had left the actress so weak and exhausted she could not lift her neck without a brace.
She checked into the hospital for treatment, including chemotherapy and steroids and now after six months, she is in remission. "But if she had waited a few weeks longer, she could have ended up quadriplegic," the doctor said.
Though she is still recovering, Johnston suffered a shattered bone during a hike recently, due to side effects of her treatment. "Every day I'm amazed that I can lift my head," the actress said.
