Kate Garraway has spoken frankly about her husband Derek Draper’s health, admitting that she and her family have been unable to shake the fear of him dying.
The former political adviser, 56, requires full-time care after suffering serious complications from Covid-19 in 2020, which left long-lasting damage to his organs.
Earlier this month, the Good Morning Britain star, also 56, revealed how Draper recently developed a new condition that sees him choke and “turn blue”.
Now, the TV star said because of her husband being “rushed back to hospital so many times” she and her family constantly fear for his wellbeing.
Garraway told Good Housekeeping: “I’d love to be able to tell you that, since Derek has been home, everything has been easy, that the miracle of him being at home has turned the day-to-day challenges into a breeze.
“But because we keep having emergency setbacks and he’s had to be rushed back into hospital so many times, the fear of him dying has never left us.
“The unpredictability of his day-to-day condition means we’re living on a rollercoaster.”
The presenter also said she has been “experimenting with ways to take control of my own happiness” and now makes sure to “carve out” time for herself.
The ITV star continued: “I’ve been experimenting with ways to take control of my own happiness. I now deliberately carve out time to give myself the gift of doing something that only helps me.
“It might be only 10 minutes of something physical, such as stretching, pottering in the garden with a mug of tea, or reading something not related to work and I’ve put some fun girls’ nights in the diary with (GMB presenters) Charlotte Hawkins, Ranvir Singh and Susanna Reid.”
She has made documentaries detailing her family’s life as Draper battles the long-term effects of coronavirus, with both programmes winning National Television Awards in the authored documentary category.
She has also brought out several books to help others by describing her experience, including The Power Of Hope: The Moving Memoir From ITV’s Kate Garraway.
Her new book also follows Draper’s health struggle and is called The Strength Of Love: Embracing An Uncertain Future With Resilience And Optimism.
She said: “I can’t promise to have all the answers – my struggle is a work in progress – but in the book I’ve shared what has helped me so far and things that have set me on a happier path. I’ve tried to keep things hopeful, but I’ve also written about the darker moments, too.”
Garraway’s husband was at her side in June, despite being in and out of hospital, when she collected her MBE for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity from the Prince of Wales in an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.
