Kate Garraway gets emotional as she opens up about huge ‘loss’ & strain on marriage amid Derek Draper’s health battle

KATE Garraway was left emotional as she opened up about the huge "loss" & strain on her relationship amid Derek Draper’s health battle.

The 54-year-old GMB presenter was joined by guest Paul, on BBC's Your Body Uncovered with Kate Garraway, who had a stroke three years ago.

The flood risk manager and keen adventurer worked 50 hours a week before his devastating health condition - which has since left him with neurological challenges.

Paul had a thrombectomy, which is the removal of a thrombus (blood clot) under image guidance, to save his life.

Paul, 44, now battles post-symptoms including neuro fatigue, where an overwhelming feeling of tiredness which can be debilitating enough to prevent people from doing everyday activities like getting dressed, going to the shops or preparing food.

Paul explained that he sometimes feels that brain can't "absorb" anymore information and often develops a throbbing sensation at the back of his head.

Drawing on her own experiences, Kate said she could understand Paul's plight after husband Derek's own battle with his neurological condition.

"I have a little bit of experience with this with my husband being sick - when something is neurological it's not just caring for a physical problem, it affects the relationship as well," Kate explained.

Paul's wife Lynne admitted it does change a persons relationship - saying: "And you don't know how it is going the affect the non-affected person, as it was, because you're still the same and they might not know how different they might be."

Kate agreed adding: "Yeah. There's a loss, I think.

"There's a loss for them in the fact that they're changed in some way, but there's a loss that you have to adjust to as well, as a partner."

Kate's husband Derek, 54, returned home from hospital in April 2021 after spending a year in hospital fighting for his life after contracting Covid-19.

He is still very ill after suffering organ failure and clots on his lung.

He also may never be able to walk again because the tendons and muscles in his legs have seized up from having been in an induced coma for so long.

Derek still requires 24-hour expert care - he would die within three days should he be left unaided - Kate continues to do a super-human amount of it herself.

She often gets up every two hours in the night to help the overnight carer to move him in bed, and she has to wash and change his bed linen a staggering seven times a day.

She juggles that with getting up in the early hours to host Good Morning Britain.

Kate previously told The Sun Derek would die within three days if he's left unaided without expert care.

We told how she secretly flew Derek to North America for a ground-breaking medical trial in November.

The GMB star pursued the trip when a world renowned U.S doctor contacted her after seeing Derek’s plight on TV. 

Kate accompanied the critically ill psychologist on a gruelling 16 hour journey where he underwent pioneering treatment at a specialist clinic in Monterrey, Mexico.

Incredibly, Derek is due to return to the centre next month for another 28 day stay as doctors continue to monitor his brain, liver and lung function. 

He has shown some signs of improvement since his visit, but remains bed-stricken and needing around-the-clock care.