Kate Garraway has spoken exclusively to HELLO! and revealed that her husband Derek Draper has emerged from a deeper coma into a minimum state of consciousness and in a recent breakthrough he has opened his eyes.
Talking exclusively to the magazine, the 53-year-old said: "We're keeping positive and doing everything we can to bring him round. The children and I communicate with him every day on FaceTime, while a nurse holds his iPad.
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"I really believe he can hear. When medical staff say: 'Good morning, Derek,' he sometimes opens his eyes. We and the doctors are doing everything we can so that he can start to recover."
The mother-of-two, who has been by her children's side 24/7 since Derek was admitted to hospital in March, has also revealed that she is preparing to return to the GMB sofa as well as her slot on Smooth Radio in order to create a sense of calm routine in her family's life.
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"The doctors have been urging me not to put my life on pause," says Kate, who was told on six occasions that she might lose her husband.
Although he remains verbally unresponsive and doctors warn he could persist in his current state, there are encouraging signs that he can hear, and Kate – who has not been able to visit due to current hospital regulations – remains hopeful.
Kate looked lovely in a Primrose Park Alice Glorious dress
"They've told me that I need to go back to work and create a routine in our lives again. The children and Derek are all I've thought about and they're the most important people in my life, but I must create structure and normality for the children, to clean the bath, put the plates in the dishwasher, and tidy the house.
"I also need to get back to work so that I can provide for the children and we can do things together, to make them feel that the light hasn't gone out of their lives, that there’s hope for the future.
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The mother-of-two, in a Rixo Quinn dress, appears in this week's issue
"I have been living at the end of the phone 24/7, waiting for news of Derek," continues Kate. "But the doctors have warned that his condition could persist for years so I have to get on with life whilst we are waiting for him to get better. Billy starts secondary school in September, but Derek's doctors say he won't be out of hospital by then.
"My priority is to make the children feel safe, not to let them see me feeling vulnerable in the world where Derek was my rock," she adds.
Read the full interview in this week's issue of HELLO!, out Monday.