Teri Garr

“My mother was a real tough cookie. She raised the three of us, and she worked at the same time.”

“The whole MS stuff put the kibosh on my career. And I sort of let it go. I even have a friend who went to CBS and said, 'I want Teri Garr to be in this series,' and the head of the network said, 'Oh no, she's got MS.'”

“I'm wondering if they haven't reported all the people with MS, because if all of the cases were reported, the government would have to step in and give more financial aid to us.”

“I go to my physical therapist to keep fighting it and one of them told me if you don't use it, you lose it, but I know we're on television so I won't say what I would often say.”

“I have been off the motorcycles for about 20 years now, but that doesn't mean I can't still do it.”

“If I counted them all up, I was a dancer in sixty movies!”

“When you hear the word 'disabled,' people immediately think about people who can't walk or talk or do everything that people take for granted. Now, I take nothing for granted. But I find the real disability is people who can't find joy in life and are bitter.”

“There's people doing whatever the hell they want and getting away with it.”

“MS doesn't define who I am.”

“If you get a diagnosis, get on a therapy, keep a good attitude and keep your sense of humor.”

“I feel ashamed of how many houses I've actually crept inside of when they were up for sale. I'm not a snoop, but I love looking and imagining.”

“If you get your foot in the door doing one kind of part, that's the kind of role they call you for. I can't say I resent it - then I would resent my whole career.”

“I have heard all kinds of stories about telling employers about MS and I really don't know what the answer is. I am a private person, but I have found support by talking to fellow MSrs in the community.”

“I'd like to play something classical. I'm in the Strindberg society, and we do readings of Strindberg plays. I'd love to do Nora in 'A Doll's House.' And Chekhov. I have been working back to back on what I call 'regular jobs,' so it's hard to do plays.”

“When one woman found out I had multiple sclerosis, she said to me, 'My heart bleeds for you.' I said to her, 'Well, my heart bleeds for you, because you're an idiot.'”

“You have to find out what's right for you, so it's trial and error. You are going to be all right if you accept realistic goals for yourself.”

“I don't consider that I have to judge any of the movies I make all the time, but people are always asking me, 'What's your favorite movie?' And I never know what to say.”

“Everyone I tell that I had an aneurysm always says, 'Oh, my cousin died from that.' Well, I didn't, so I'm amazed. I was in a wheelchair, and I had to go to rehab. And now I'm walking!”

“I always say don't be scared. It's not that bad - there's always something worse - and there is definitely life after multiple sclerosis.”

“If you get somebody laughing - and then stick in a point about something important - they'll remember it.”