Kate Garraway has revealed that her husband Derek Draper – who was hospitalised for a year with Covid-19 – will die ‘within three days’ if left unaided.
The Good Morning Britain host has opened up about caring for her recovering hubby in a new ITV documentary, Caring For Derek, which examines the pressures put on the couple as Derek continues to battle the effects of the virus on his body.
Derek – who tied the knot with Kate in 2005 – may never be able to walk again after the tendons and muscles in his legs seized up from being in an induced coma for so long.
He was hospitalised with Covid for an entire year in 2020, and now sleeps from 16-20 hours per day. Kate admitted she wakes every two hours at night to help his carers move him around in bed.
Kate also has to change his bed linen seven times per day to stave off infection and keep her husband comfortable.
(Image: ITV)
Though Derek is no longer infected with the virus itself, it has damaged his internal organs and left him needing extensive care.
The Sun reports that all of this means he requires 24-hour, around-the-clock care – and would die within three days if left to fend for himself.
It comes after Kate revealed she jetted off with Derek to Mexico to investigate a specialist treatment trial for her husband.
(Image: ITV)
A world renowned US doctor got in touch after seeing her first documentary, Finding Derek, and allowed Derek to receive treatment at a specialist clinic in Monterrey.
Kate explained: “I think actually there’s a huge amount of hope for him to improve. I think the treatment could be positive. I want to be slightly careful about saying too much, because I’m aware everybody will go, ‘What is the trial?’
“And I don’t want to start something, offering up false hope to others who might be in a similar position.
“But I’m just so desperate to be able to give a happy ending — for Derek mainly, but also for everybody who asks me every day how he’s getting on.”
Ahead of the 16-hour flight, Derek underwent oxygen and pressure tests to check that his body would be able to cope with the strain of flying.
Kate Garraway: Caring For Derek airs on ITV at 9pm on Tuesday, February 22nd.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
