Kate Garraway-Caring For Derek

Sorry blossom14 your poor daughter is going through such a tragic time and i can only say "Hear hear" to your take on Kate Garraway. I think she is one heck of a remarkable person.

Serendipity This was some 20 years ago. My DD is probably 85% of the woman she was. So much to be thankful for.

Ohhhhh that is wonderful blossom14, yes indeed, so much to be thankful for.

Well done Kate and all your family for letting the cameras in to your personal life, to show how real people deal with what life can throw at you.

If it takes a high profile person to show the tremendous heart wrenching task that really happens, then why not.

What you saw was real life, no acting no posing for the TV cameras.
I hope things start to improve for them all. Its a long hard slog.

I wasn't offended by Kate or the program either. All of them have been through so much, I imagine they were the kind of family who felt they wouldn't be touched by such tragedy but so were a lot of us?

We found it very moving. And it reminded us of how important it is for families and couples to talk about how they would feel in such a situation, and what they would wish to happen, and to make advanced directives.

I would not wish to continue such a life- and I have made sure my OH and my ACs and close family know this.

I would not wish to continue such a life- and I have made sure my OH and my ACs and close family know this.

I've said that too but I'm not sure if the reality might be different if I was in my early 50s with young children like Derek Draper.

I suppose we do know the feelings of our loved ones. I know dh is very clear he would want to continue whatever.

they still have hope and he still has life and a quality of

Callistemon21:

'I would not wish to continue such a life'

That's how most of us feel - when we're well and life is worth living. When I've been in extreme, overwhelming pain (back injury, childbirth etc.) I've truly wished to just die and be out of it.

Still, having thought that he wouldn't want to 'linger' - and seeing it as pointless, my husband thought very differently when desperately ill. He never gave up hope of getting better. That was what kept him going, despite the reality of the situation. Every day was so precious to him.

Of course, our whole life experience tends to be some recovery from illness, brighter days ahead, struggling and suffering through the pain, doesn't it?

I would not wish to continue such a life
It was actually Kali who said that - I'm not sure how I'd feel but I certainly would hate to think my DC had to look after my physical needs as care provision is so patchy - and expensive too.

be angry at the fact taxpayers money isn't being spent properly

I saw a programme years ago in which people were asked if they would want to live if they had a massive stroke and became very incapacitated. It followed them over a period of time and at least one person who had said they wouldn’t wish to live changed their mind when it actually happened to them.

I have watched the two programmes and can't understand why anyone would critise Kate. What I found uplifting was the love shown by his children, especially his young son who is the same age as my DGS and Derek's recognition of this. My late DH was living with heart failure for nearly two years before he passed away and seeing the love passed to him by DGS (and returned) gave me strength to face the day. I think that the love shown by Kate and the children is wonderful and you can see that Derek thinks the same.

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Kate will have done more for Unpaid Carers during that programme than all the Carers support Groups and charities have done previously. There are so many Unpaid carers whose voices are never heard, they are the forgotten thousands who save the country billions every year. The Government ignores us in everything they do. We are all very grateful to Kate for bringing Carers to the front and making people more aware of the difficulties Unpaid Carers face.

I agree win. I think only other family/spouse carers 'get it'. Lets face it, most people really do not want to know how difficult carers are finding caring. It goes against the name given to it. Family carers are just human beings, yes they get fed up, upset, exhausted, lonely. It just isn't acceptable to say it, we are supposed to pretend everything is ok whilst our needs become more and more invisible

If you did watch it you would have seen Kate ask him if he minded the cameras & he said it was ok. VERY moving & highlighting the difficulty in getting help with care. As Kate said it is a minefield which until you need it you maybe dont realise. So pleased she showed the true exhausting effort of caring for someone at home. I send her my love & admiration.

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Message deleted as it quotes a deleted post.

It is indeed a horrible post from GrammyGrammy and yes I realise she is entitled to her opinion but really.

No one would describe a male carer in that way either. The use of the word 'whoreing' just shows real contempt for women. She was better off ignored though

Not being a tv fan I haven't watched this programme, but I have seen newspaper photos of KG's husband in hospital - which I found very intrusive.

Not nice thing to say.

I am going to watch it but I do admire her and her family for letting us into their lives. It highlights what has happened and what can happen to these people who still think that Covid didnt exist. I wish them well for the future and feel so sorry for them all.