At 69, Mimie Mathy reveals the extent of the health problems that have turned her life upside down. The actress, who suffers from cauda equina syndrome, has been unable to walk for six months and now uses a wheelchair. On the TF1 program "Sept à Huit" this Sunday, she told Audrey Crespo-Mara about this new reality, the four surgeries she has undergone, and the doctors' diagnosis. Despite this loss of mobility, which is expected to be permanent, the star of " Joséphine, ange gardien" intends to continue her career and is already preparing new projects.
"For the past six months, I haven't been able to walk at all."
Mimie Mathy is no longer hiding the reality of her health condition. From her home in Vaison-la-Romaine, in the Vaucluse region, the actress appeared in a wheelchair and explained that her mobility difficulties have worsened considerably. This new reality had already been mentioned when she agreed to appear in a wheelchair on TF1: "It's deteriorated a bit over the past year, but for the last six months, I haven't been able to walk at all." She suffers from cauda equina syndrome, a condition affecting the nerve roots located in the lower part of the spinal canal. These nerves play a crucial role in the mobility of the lower limbs. Mimie Mathy attributes this complication to her body shape and the spinal problems she has faced for several years : "It's related to my somewhat unusual physique. I have what's called cauda equina syndrome."
Four operations, but no more surgical options
To try and preserve her mobility, Mimie Mathy underwent four operations. Surgeons sought to widen her spinal canal to free the compressed nerves: "I've had four operations to widen the spinal canal and free all the nerves that allow for mobility. Little by little, no more operations are possible." Faced with this situation, the actress had to adapt her daily life and her home to the permanent use of a wheelchair. She knew her mobility problems could worsen, but hoped to retain the ability to walk for longer : "It wasn't a surprise, but I thought it would come a little later. I thought I would be stronger than everyone else."
"It took me a while to get over it; I thought it was unfair."
Mimie Mathy admits she had a hard time accepting this new dependence. After a lifetime spent fighting prejudices related to her short stature, this new ordeal triggered a profound sense of injustice : "I've fought all my life. I've battled the prejudices people have against short people." The actress also recounts the anger she felt when her mobility permanently deteriorated : "It took me a while to come to terms with it. I found it unfair." She nevertheless emphasizes the importance of her family and friends, especially her husband, Benoist Gérard. Her disability now requires assistance with certain daily tasks, particularly to prevent falls.
"I will never walk again."
Mimie Mathy has almost completely lost hope of ever regaining the use of her legs. She recounts an unambiguous medical diagnosis: "Physically, barring a miracle—and I don't really believe in that, not at all—I won't walk again." She then clarifies : "That's what they told me: I'll never walk again." It's a situation she is now trying to accept after several particularly difficult months.
In her swimming pool, Mimie Mathy rediscovers the sensation of walking
Water, however, allows her to rediscover some of the sensations she lost on land. Mimie Mathy spends several hours in her pool, where her body is relieved of its weight and where she can once again walk. She makes sure to take several hundred steps in the water every day, usually between 400 and 500: "It gives me back the feeling of being upright. I feel my body as it was before." She also maintains her sense of humor in the face of this new reality: "I won't run the New York Marathon, but I can run the Vaison Marathon, as long as I'm in a pool."
A brand new show performed entirely in a wheelchair
Mimie Mathy doesn't want her wheelchair to end her career. On the contrary, she plans to integrate her disability into her upcoming professional projects : "I'm going to make it a strength and create a new show about it." She plans to appear on stage directly in her wheelchair, without trying to hide it. The actress hopes to transform this new phase of her life artistically, while continuing to speak out about disability and difference.
A new series is already in development.
Mimie Mathy is also working on a new fiction project. She is expected to play a lawyer who becomes disabled after deliberately causing an accident intended to silence her : "We are developing a series where I will play a lawyer who ends up in a wheelchair because she was deliberately injured in an accident to silence her." Her actual disability would therefore be directly integrated into the character.
Josephine, guardian angel is not stopped
This loss of mobility does not mean the immediate end of Josephine, guardian angel, a series in which Mimie Mathy has played the lead role for almost thirty years.
No new filming is currently scheduled, but the actress clarifies that three episodes have already been produced and remain available for future broadcasts. "I don't have any Josephine filming scheduled, for the simple reason that we have three episodes in advance." At 69, Mimie Mathy intends to continue acting, writing, performing on stage, and developing new projects. Now in a wheelchair, she also wants to use this new reality to draw attention to accessibility and the difficulties that people with reduced mobility continue to face on a daily basis.
