Kate Garraway ‘s husband Derek Draper speaking again after being taken out of a long coma is a “massive step” in his recovery, says Dr Emily MacDonagh.
Peter Andre’s wife, 31, has given her expert opinion on Derek’s “breakthrough” moment after he fell ill with coronavirus back in March, which left him fighting for his life on a ventilator.
Derek was later placed into an induced coma, and remained in a minimum state of consciousness after doctors took him out weeks later.
According to the NHS doctor, Derek speaking again could prove to be a breakthrough, as speaking requires a lot of brainpower.
She wrote in her OK! column: “It sounds strange to say but the ability to speak is very complex, using different parts of the brain to process it.
Kate’s husband Derek has been in intensive care with coronavirus since March (Image: Mirrorpix)
“It sounds like such a small step but it’s massive and he can now start to tell them how he’s feeling.
“It sounds like he’s still got some way to go in his recovery and I really hope he continues to make progress.”
Kate opened up about Derek speaking again after 214 days in hospital, speaking to her Good Morning Britain friends Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on the show.
Emily says Derek talking again is a “breakthrough” moment (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
She said: “[The hospital staff] keep talking to him and they would say ‘Ok, we’re just going to move your arm or leg’ and every time they said ‘Let us know if you feel pain.’
“He mouthed ‘pain’… everyone stopped and stared.
“It is heartbreaking because he does feel pain but what it does mean is that he has been able to feel a sensation in his body and connect it with his brain and then mouth pain.”
She added: “I believe he is in there. That’s a long way from who Derek is….but it’s a start.”
Kate has been sharing updates about her husband’s illness, which has seen him lose over eight stone in weight in hospital.
Whilst Derek is no longer testing positive for the coronavirus, the illness has wreaked havoc around his body, ravaging his vital organs.
He is now the longest suffering coronavirus patient in the UK, spending 224 days in intensive care.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
