Kate Garraway has revealed her husband Derek Draper may be trapped in a coma forever, with doctors warning her to prepare for the ‘second worst case scenario.’
In an interview with The Sun, the Good Morning Britain host, 53, talked about Derek’s devastating battle with coronavirus, which she says ‘attacked everything.’
Derek, 52, was admitted to hospital on March 30, after struggling to breathe. Kate and their children Billy, 10, and Darcey, 14, also experienced mild coronavirus symptoms.
Devastating: Kate Garraway has revealed her husband Derek Draper may be trapped in a coma forever, with doctors warning her to prepare for the ‘second worst case scenario’
Speaking to the publication, Kate said she received a ‘terrible phone call’ two weeks ago from a senior doctor in the intensive care unit.
The presenter explained: ‘My first question, the one I always ask when the hospital call, was, ‘Is Derek still alive?’ and he said he was, but then asked me what my greatest fear was.
‘I said, “Derek dying” and he replied, “Well, now I think I have to give you a second worst case scenario, which is that he never changes from this, that he is locked in this for ever”.
Agonising: In an interview, the Good Morning Britain host, 53, opened up on Derek’s devastating battle with coronavirus, which she says ‘attacked everything’ (pictured last year)
‘He said, “I’m not telling you this to scare you. It’s because we don’t know if he can recover. We’ll only know over the coming weeks and months”, I threw up, there and then.’
Kate said she never imagined she would be told her husband may be trapped in a comatose permanently.
The Good Morning Britain host described it as the ‘second level of loss’, saying even if he doesn’t die, if he doesn’t wake up she will have lost him anyway.
The doctor said: ‘Well, now I think I have to give you a second worst case scenario, which is that he never changes from this, that he is locked in this for ever’
The mother-of-two went on to explain how the virus has wreaked havoc with Derek’s body.
She told how the illness ‘attacked everything’ before heartbreakingly admitting; ‘we don’t know if he can recover’.
The former lobbyist is now covid-free but is suffering from serious complications.
While he is able to breathe through a tracheotomy and the hope is everyday he will rely on the breathing support less, an MRI scan revealed he has holes in his heart, is on kidney dialysis, has a damaged liver and pancreas and is now diabetic, which he wasn’t before.
Devastating: Kate said she never imagined she would be told her husband may be trapped in a comatose permanently (pictured December 2019)
Kate said doctors had been trying to pull Derek out of his comatose state for the past three weeks, but he hasn’t managed to regain consciousness.
She went on to compare watching his battle to ‘like spinning plates’, adding that should Derek recover, they are looking at ‘months of rehabilitation’.
The television star admitted at times she feels paralysed with fear, but vows to stay strong for their two children.
Further discussing Derek’s progress, the star recalled shortly before her birthday on May 4th, Derek opened his eyes for the ‘first time’, with the presenter hopeful it was the beginning of his recovery.
But she was left crushed when his eyes closed once more, adding there’s ‘no sense’ on whether he could actually see anything.
Kate told how she FaceTimes Derek every night whenever staff can do so as she’s not permitted to be in the ward due to infection risk, but admitted that it was ‘agonising’ not knowing whether her being there in person would make a difference.
Family: The television star admitted at times she feels paralysed with fear, but vows to stay strong for their two children (pictured with Darcey, 14, and Billy last week)
Recalling the start of Derek’s battle, Kate said how he was taken into surgery to have a ECMO machine (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) fitted in his leg as quickly as possible.
She said she was told there was a 50% risk of Derek’s heart stopping or of him having a stroke, but doctors warned that if the procedure didn’t take place, Derek was at risk of dying that very night.
She was later told that it did in fact stop, but doctors got it going again.
Amid Derek’s 10 week fight for his life, Kate had been tasked with making several ‘critical decisions’ on his behalf, with the star adding that it’s a ‘miracle’ she’s still functioning given the amount of times she’s been told Derek’s life was hanging in the balance.
Survivor: Amid Derek’s 10 week fight for his life, Kate had been tasked with making several ‘critical decisions’ on his behalf, with the star adding that it’s a ‘miracle’ she’s still functioning given the amount of times she’s been told Derek’s life was hanging in the balance
Meanwhile, her close friend and colleague Ben Shephard praised ‘remarkable woman’ Kate after receiving a horde of messages following her interview on Good Morning Britain on Friday.
After thanking fans for their supportive comments following her appearance, he said of Kate: ‘She’s just remarkable.
‘And for her to speak with such eloquence and honesty and positivity in the face of truly horrific circumstances for her and her family is testament to what an incredible person she is.
‘I know what a difference the messages you’re sending and what great source of support they are for her and Bill and Darcey.’
Friendship: Meanwhile, her close friend and colleague Ben Shephard praised ‘remarkable woman’ Kate after receiving a horde of messages following her interview on Good Morning Britain on Friday