The Australian actress is discussing how she discovered she'd need the vital surgery.
Ruby Rose is sharing new details of her on-set injuries, which nearly led to paralysis for the Australian actress.
The 33-year-old dropped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday to promote her new CW show, Batwoman, where she discussed just how close she came to irreversible harm to her spine.
"So, I did a stunt for a very extended amount of time, like seven hours, and we thought that I'd broken a rib, or just fractured a rib and that was, like, six to 12 weeks of healing. So, then I had six to 12 weeks of chronic pain and was just assuming that that's what it was… I kept seeing these doctors and they said, 'It's your neck, it's your neck. It just radiates into these places because of nerve endings.'"
"I finally got an MRI and… and basically he called me and was like, 'You could become a paraplegic," she relayed, adding, "'This is your spine. Two of your discs have herniated. And they've broken all of the protective layers. You have this tiny amount where your spine is not severed and if you don't get back, you could become a paraplegic.'"
Rose also shared how the harrowing experience has affected her and given her perspective on the health concerns of others.
"It got me thinking about a lot of things," she said. "Like, for instance, how do people pay for the surgery if they need it? What happens if someone has the same diagnosis as me but they don't have insurance and they can't get the surgery? It's not a cheap surgery. And they have to just live with not knowing if they're going to become a paraplegic? It was kinda terrifying. And then I discovered that my insurance didn't pay for it! And I was like, 'Wait a minute, this is America. But at least I had the funds to pay... I appreciate everything."
The actress first revealed that she'd had the procedure on Friday with a video posted on Instagram showcasing, in vivid detail, her time in the surgery room. She wrote alongside: "Thank you Dr Bray for everything you did and for allowing me to keep working and doing what I love. I am forever in your debt."
Warning: the video contains graphic content.
She also shared her explanation for making the video, writing, "And to anyone asking why I let them video it. Did you not watch that Greys anatomy episode where they left a towel in a patient?? Also I wanted to see what happens when we go under."
See more on Rose below.
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