Yahoo News Kate Garraway recalls terrifying health scare while caring for Derek
Good Morning Britain's Kate Garraway has recalled a terrifying health scare whilst caring for her husband Derek Draper, who is living with long COVID.
Derek was hospitalised at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, and requires round-the-clock care to this day.
In an extract from Garraway's new book The Strength of Love (via The Sun), the TV presenter and broadcaster revealed that she had a serious health scare of her own, caused by the stress of Derek's health.
"It was November 2022. I woke with a start as my alarm sounded. It was 2am and time to get up to present Good Morning Britain," Garraway wrote.
"I tried to reach for the off button, but my arm wouldn't move. I tried again, but again nothing happened."
Continuing, Garraway wrote that she felt a "sharp and excruciating" pain, but managed to turn off her alarm after rolling onto her knees.
"There was a searing pain in my chest – as though someone had punched their fist through my breastbone, snatched hold of my heart and squeezed," she added.
"Then I realised that it wasn't a sudden onset of pain. It had been there all the time. My temporary paralysis had distracted me."
When Garraway arrived at the Good Morning Britain studios, she was immediately sent to hospital by a producer, where she recalled the doctors "put monitors on my chest, took blood tests and blood pressure rates and measured oxygen levels in my blood".
Related: GMB's Kate Garraway 'relearning how to be husband and wife' with Derek Draper
After results clarified that she wasn't having a heart attack, Garraway learnt that she may have been undergoing "stress-related angina".
Garraway also wrote that the experience "forced" her to make some changes to her life.
"I've allowed myself time to grieve for our old life," she said. "I've tried to get on top of our finances, and started slowly to put in place some rituals and techniques to help me achieve some mental space.
"I've pushed Derek to see his friends, and made more time to see mine too. I began to declutter the house, to gradually let go of the past while still holding on to things that are important now."
Garraway has previously written a book titled The Power of Hope, reflecting on Derek's hospitalisation and the changes this meant for the family.
She has also won two NTAs, in 2021 and 2022, for her documentaries Finding Derek and Caring for Derek.
The Strength of Love by Kate Garraway is out on Thursday, September 14. Good Morning Britain airs on ITV1.
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