Kate Garraway has admitted husband Derek Draper is “imprisoned” in his body in her new book The Strength Of Love.
In an extract published in The Sun, Kate revealed the insight she gained about Derek’s debilitating condition after she suffered a health scare of her own.
She opened up about her fears she was having a heart attack as she struggled with pains in her chest while trying to get out of bed for work at GMB.
Telly host Kate, 56, vomited repeatedly and felt “sharp and excruciating” pain early one morning in November 2022 after being unable to move after waking up.
But despite her terrifying experience, Kate’s thoughts were still with Covid-stricken Derek while breaking down as she herself was unwell.
Kate Garraway and Derek Draper latest news
Presenter Kate explained how her arm wouldn’t move that morning just under a year ago as she tried to shut off her wake up alarm. She said her fists were clenched tight – and her arms were over the duvet pointing upwards, as if about to punch.
After several attempts at moving, Kate recalled how she willed herself to move in a similar manner to how she had heard heard therapists in hospital speak to Derek.
Kate believes Covid had damaged the connections between Derek’s brain and limbs. And so, by “distracting” his brain, the hope was Derek was move “instinctively”.
She eventually managed to roll out of her bed onto her knees despite the “temporary paralysis”.
Kate also managed to get into a car to be taken to the GMB studios by a driver. However, during her journey, a still ill Kate compared her “out-of-body experience” to what Derek endures.
‘There is no chance of breaking free’
Kate went on to explain she opened her car window because she felt dizzy. Rain hit her face – but before long, the raindrops were replaced by teardrops. She described her crying as though her emotions had broken through a seal.
The awful sensation of being trapped, paralysed.
Kate added: “I thought of how I’d felt when I’d woken up — the awful sensation of being trapped, paralysed. I knew that must be how Derek feels every morning, when he wakes up and cannot move. He’s not in control of his body or mind — imprisoned. Except, for him, there is no chance of breaking free.”
Unable to understand what was happening with her body, Kate wondered whether she was experiencing sympathy pains. Thankfully, despite later going to hospital to undergo tests, Kate was reassured she hadn’t had a heart attack. However, she was warned that heart issues could not be completely ruled out.
Furthermore, the mum-of-two remains hopeful Derek’s health will get better. She added: “Ultimately, we still believe that Derek can improve and we are finding ways to exist as a family while the journey continues.”
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