Kate Garraway discusses her worries about husband Derek Draper health: ‘Every time he’s rushed to hospital I think he’s going to be taken from us’
Kate Garraway has opened up on her worries about husband Derek Draper’s health, saying she fears she will lose him.
The Good Morning Britain presenter, 56, discussed Derek, also 56, being in and out of hospital after he seriously ill with coronavirus at the very start of the pandemic in March 2020, and was left with lasting damage to his organs.
Doctors put him in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator and he was in hospital for 13 months.
Kate appeared on Heart Breakfast on Monday alongside Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston where she spoke about her husband’s health problems and how it impacts the family.
Jamie asked: ‘How are the kids feeling, that adjustment must be tricky especially at their age?’
Candid: Kate Garraway has opened up on her worries about husband Derek Draper’s health, saying she fears she will lose him
Health: The Good Morning Britain presenter, 56, discussed Derek, also 56, being in and out of hospital
Kate replied: ‘Well, yeah I think it’s been quite interesting. I think some of what I’ve been writing about in the book (The Strength of Love), is the fact that you have adrenaline, don’t you, when something dramatic happens.
‘I talk about what I think is adrenaline, it’s a bit of a frenemy. One level it’s fantastic, it gets you through the crisis, and then as time goes on, it’s not great for your own health.
‘Derek himself has been living on a version of adrenaline as well. And the kids have too in their own way, so I think the last year and a half really, has been coming to terms with the fact that we’re not in a ‘one week’ ‘two week’ ‘three month’ drama.
‘We’re in something ongoing and I think weirdly, that’s how it’s felt for everybody beyond the pandemic.
‘We still don’t know, just how much better Derek can get, or worse. So really every time he has a rush into hospital, we’re still in that adrenaline phase of ‘is this the moment where he could be taken from us’.
‘But also, there’s so many spikes of progression, that no one’s giving up hope that there isn’t going to be a movement forward, so it’s managing that rollercoaster. Sorry that wasn’t particularly clear.’
Amanda then weighed in on Derek’s progress, calling it ‘amazing’ and he continues to go ‘up and up and up’.
Kate agreed: ‘It’s interesting, he comes most alive I think when he’s around, not so much me, let’s be honest, but no, of course there is a huge amount of love for me.
Interview: Kate appeared on Heart Breakfast on Monday alongside Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston where she spoke about her husband’s health problems and how it impacts the family
‘[But] he does come alive and you can see him kind of trying to be the old Dad as much as he can, trying to make them laugh, trying to do different things.
‘But they’ve had to realise that, I mean Derek was this kind of loud, rumbustious, huge, you know… overwhelming… [man], and god how we loved it, but he’s not that now, so they’ve had to readjust,” the GMB host added, gushing over how well her teenage daughter and young son have navigated the situation “brilliantly”‘.
It comes after Kate praised her two children for the way they have handled her husband Derek Draper’s Covid battle.
She said: ‘I think it’s been quite interesting, I think some of what I’ve been writing about in the book [The Strength of Love], is the fact that you have adrenaline, don’t you, when something dramatic happens.
‘I talk about what I think is adrenaline, it’s a bit of a frenemy. One level it’s fantastic, it gets you through the crisis, and then as time goes on, it’s not great for your own health.
‘Derek himself has been living on a version of adrenaline as well. And the kids have too in their own way, so I think the last year and a half really, has been coming to terms with the fact that we’re not in a “one week” “two week” “three month” drama.
‘We’re in something ongoing and I think weirdly, that’s how its felt for everybody beyond the pandemic.’
She continued: ‘We still don’t know, just how much better Derek can get, or worse. So really every time he has a rush into hospital, we’re still in that adrenaline phase of “is this the moment where he could be taken from us?”
‘But also, there’s so many spikes of progression, that no one’s giving up hope that there isn’t going to be a movement forward. So it’s managing that rollercoaster.’
Discussing the relationship between the kids and Derek, she said: ‘He’s their Daddy. And it’s interesting, he comes most alive I think when he’s around, not so much me, let’s be honest, but no, of course there is a huge amount of love for me!
‘He does come alive and you can see him kind of trying to be the old Dad as much as he can, trying to make them laugh, trying to do different things.
Family: Kate appeared on Heart Breakfast on Monday where she spoke about how her and Derek’s daughter Darcey, 17, and son William, 14, are dealing with their father’s illness, gushing that they were ‘navigating it brilliantly’ (pictured in 2021)
‘But they’ve had to realise that, I mean Derek was this kind of loud, rumbustious, huge, you know… overwhelming… and god how we loved it, but he’s not that now, so they’ve had to readjust.
‘You know how you bounce off your parents, different boundaries, and they are doing it brilliantly. They’re navigating it brilliantly.’
Kate has made two documentaries detailing her life as Derek battles the long-term effects of Covid-19, with both winning National Television Awards in the authored documentary category.
She was recognised with an MBE in the 2022 New Year Honours for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity.
Kate said: ‘I worry that I’m failing on every front, at everything. But I’ve got to keep going and fight on for Derek.’
Meanwhile, Kate revealed she was hospitalised with ‘excruciating’ chest pains after suffering extreme stress while Derek continued his slow recovery.
She needed medical assistance of her own after being woken by the 2am alarm she sets each night for Good Morning Britain – and discovering she couldn’t move to turn it off.
In her new book, The Strength Of Love, the presenter describes how she then felt a ‘searing pain’ in her chest and was immediately taken to the nearest A&E for tests.
Addressing her own health scare, Kate said: ‘There was a searing pain in my chest — as though someone had punched their fist through my breastbone, snatched hold of my heart and squeezed.
‘The pain was sharp and excruciating. Then I realised that it wasn’t a sudden onset of pain. It had been there all the time. My temporary paralysis had distracted me.
Big moment: Kate was recognised with an MBE in the 2022 New Year Honours for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity
‘Then came the thought, “Oh God, was I having a heart attack?”. But why was my body reacting like this?
‘Could I be so desperate to help Derek that I’d started having sympathy pains?’
She then threw up on the way to work and was taken to A&E when she arrived at the studios.
After conducting tests a cardiologist ruled out a heart attack as a possible cause before doctor let her go home.
She also told how she burst into tears when the doctor recognized her and said she was an inspiration, before telling him: ‘I’m not doing any good for anybody.’
Her scare was a one-off issue, but doctors are now keeping an eye on it as it might have been stress-related angina.
Listen to Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden weekdays from 06:30 – 10:00 and on Global Player
A timeline of Derek Draper’s coronavirus battle
MARCH 2020
Kate revealed she and Prince Charles had got ‘relatively close’ at the Prince’s Trust Awards on March 11 – Charles was diagnosed with coronavirus in mid-March.
She said: ‘Around the 29/30 March, I came home came in and said [to Derek] ‘god you look ill.’
‘He said he had a headache, numbness in his right hand, and was struggling to breathe,
‘I rang Dr Hilary (Jones) and tried to get through, he talked to Derek. He said put me back on, I think you need to call an ambulance’
Derek, 52, was taken into hospital on March 30 and remained in an unresponsive condition.
APRIL
Kate and her children isolated at home after she displayed ‘mild symptoms’.
Kate said: ‘Derek remains in intensive care and is still very ill. I’m afraid it remains an excruciatingly worrying time.
‘I’m afraid he is still in a deeply critical condition, but he is still here, which means there is hope.’
MAY
Kate said: ‘The journey for me and my family seems to be far from over as every day my heart sinks as I learn new and devastating ways this virus has more battles for Derek to fight.
‘But he is still HERE & so there is still hope.’
That month, Kate and her family took part in the final clap for carers
She said: ‘I’ll never give up on that because Derek’s the love of my life but at the same time I have absolute uncertainty’
JUNE
On June 5, Kate revealed Derek is now free from coronavirus but continues to fight against the damage inflicted on his body
JULY
On July 5, Kate revealed Derek has woken from his coma but he remains in a serious yet critical condition.
On July 8, she announced she would be returning to GMB, after being urged by doctors to ‘get on with life’ during Derek’s recovery.
She added that Derek had ‘opened his eyes’ after waking from his coma, but has been told his recovery could take years.
On July 13, Kate returned to GMB for the first time since Derek was hospitalised.
On July 28, Kate revealed she’d paid an ‘extra emotional’ first visit to Derek, and admitted she’s ‘frustrated’ by his slow progress.
AUGUST
On August 14, Kate reassured GMB viewers that Derek was ‘still with us,’ but it was ‘a waiting game.’
On August 19, Kate revealed she celebrated Derek’s birthday with their two children, and described the day as ‘challenging’ for her family.
SEPTEMBER
At the end of September, Derek reportedly becomes the longest surviving patient with coronavirus after spending 184 days in and out of intensive care.
Kate reveals Derek has lost eight stone during his battle.
The presenter announces she is returning to her Smooth Radio show so Derek can hear her voice.
OCTOBER
On October 30 Kate reveals that Derek has spoken for the first time in seven months, saying the word ‘pain’ to his wife, who watched on ‘in tears’ over FaceTime.
Kate says a day later that her husband no longer needs a ventilator to breathe.
NOVEMBER
Kate reveals her family car has been stolen in latest ‘body blow’ to her family life, as kind-hearted fans offer their cars to help.
She says she feels ‘physically sick’ at the prospect of facing her first Christmas without Derek.
DECEMBER
The GMB star tells viewers it is her dream to visit Derek on Christmas Day.
She also reveals she missed two weeks on GMB after her children were exposed to the virus, but thankfully she and the kids tested negative.
On December 17, Kate has an emotional conversation live on GMB with two nurses who treated Derek when he was first admitted to Whittington Hospital in North London.
On New Year’s Eve she reflects on a ‘calamitous’ Christmas without Derek, as her house was flooded and she struggled to get a food delivery slot until her pal Emma Willis stepped in to help.
JANUARY 2021
Kate reveals she and her children got to visit Derek in hospital over the Christmas period, and it was the first time her family had seen him since he was hospitalised.
She also says she’s banned from seeing him due to new restrictions introduced during the government’s third lockdown.
FEBRUARY
Kate reveals she is unsure how much Derek will ‘ever be able to recover’ following warning from doctors that he may never wake from his coma
MARCH
Kate revealed that was in the process of adapting her home to suit Derek’s needs when he is finally released from hospital, in the ITV documentary Finding Derek.
The programmed was praised by viewers for offering a heartbreaking look at the long-term effects of coronavirus.
Kate also revealed that Derek has ‘no muscle left’ since battling Covid
APRIL
Kate revealed that Derek was finally allowed to leave hospital, but would require round-the-clock care once he was returned home.
MAY
Kate revealed that despite now being home with his family, his communication abilities were ‘minimal’ and he ‘couldn’t really move’
DECEMBER
During an appearance on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, Kate revealed that Derek had said ‘I love you’ for the first time.
After celebrating Christmas, Derek was also pictured in a wheelchair during a trip to the pantomime with his family
JANUARY 2022
Kate revealed that Derek was ‘very fatigued’ and ‘very weak’ following the family outing, adding: ‘I don’t know what this year is going to bring.’
FEBRUARY
Kate offered a glimpse into the daily struggles of looking after her husband amid his battle with long Covid in the documentary Caring For Derek
She also revealed that Derek would die within three days if he was left alone to care for himself.
JULY
On July 6, Kate revealed that Derek had been re-admitted to hospital after suffering a ‘downturn,’ and in a later interview said she takes things ‘day by day.’
On July 20, it was reported that Kate had pulled out of hosting Good Morning Britain to be at Derek’s bedside after he took a ‘very serious’ turn for the worse.
Recalling the day, the presenter told The Sun: ‘At one point Derek said to me, “This is it, this time. I am gone.” It was just terrifying.
‘His sepsis was gut-wrenching for all of us because it had gone undiagnosed until the point where it was about to take his life away again.’
JANUARY 2023
Kate became overwhelmed as she confronted former health secretary Matt Hancock over his handling of the pandemic and his decision to go on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here.
She then became tearful and looked up as she spoke about Derek, who has been unwell for approaching three years.
Describing public anger towards him, Kate added of his decision: ‘This gives the impression you still don’t get why they are cross. You still don’t get why people are upset. They want to hold you to more account.’
APRIL
Kate revealed that Derek was once again receiving care in hospital, as she shared the emotional moment Sir Elton John dedicated a song to the ‘inspiring’ couple.
She shared the emotional moment Sir Elton John dedicated a song to the ‘inspiring’ couple, writing on Instagram: ‘Yes Derek has been back in hospital this week & yes there’s such a long road ahead but #eltonjohn & @davidfurnish you gave the kids & Derek a moment that we will never forget and has lifted their spirits again to feel anything is possible.’
It was also reported that Kate was planning a trip across the world for pioneering treatment in a ‘final hope’ to help her husband.
MAY
Not Kate is reportedly facing a huge £716,000 tax bill after she was forced to close her husband’s business two years after he became stricken with Covid-19.
The final total will be settled within the coming weeks, with friends insisting she will pay whatever is owed.
A friend told The Sun: ‘The figures are terrifying and Kate is of course worried about all the financial pressures, but she has to trust the process.
‘When it comes to an end, she is determined to pay back anything that’s owed.
‘It’s no secret that Kate has been battling to keep her husband alive and working through some heartbreaking situations in her personal life in recent years.
‘Sadly as well as the emotional stress of Derek’s terrible illnesses the financial burden has also been crippling.’
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