KATE Garraway has described herself as a “shell of a person” as she struggles to care for her husband.
Derek Draper was left in a critical condition after he caught Covid in early 2020 and spent 13 months in hospital.
He has since been battling a variety of health problems, after the virus caused brain inflammation, kidney failure, and damage to his liver and pancreas.
Kate's latest concern for Derek is that he can’t breathe out carbon dioxide or breathe in oxygen, which she says “is slightly poisoning his body all the time”.
On top of that he has started doing a “weird choking”, and Kate and her son witnessed a “near miss” recently when he went blue.
Since returning home from hospital, Derek has received around the clock care from Kate, which has made it very difficult for the TV star to socialise or have a day off.
Opening up about how hard it is, Kate, 56, told Sunday Times: "Apart from TV award dos, but they're work events. I am a shell of a person
"Work is my equivalent of going for a cocktail. It's therapy."
The Good Morning Britain presenter went on to describe how “lonely” it is.
She said: “There are so many people who, through sheer bad luck, find themselves in the same shoes as me.
“Caring for someone you love is a privilege, and I will never give up, but I want to champion the cause that everyone in my position faces because I know people are drowning trying to navigate through the care system. We talk about a crisis but it is beyond crisis.
“It is very lonely and very difficult, and I at least do have that voice.”
She added: “I worry that I’m failing on every front, at everything. But I’ve got to keep going and fight on for Derek.”
In June 2023 Derek watched on as Kate was awarded an MBE at Windsor Castle by Prince William for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity.
Just days after Kate received her MBE, she revealed that Derek was rushed to hospital.
