Kate Garraway and her husband

NHS care would mean putting her husband in a nursing home,

She and their children have around the clock access to him, possibly he hears their voices, she can lay by his side when she wants to, possibly he can feel her body next to him.

This couldn’t happen in a nursing home.

Kate said two days ago:
‘He still has very little movement, still can't talk really but he does seem to, I believe and I think others believe now, understands everything.’
She will have spoken to him about what she is doing. I believe what she says, I think he he knows and agrees.

Galaxy

I think if I remember rightly he worked for Peter Mandelson in a spin doctor type role.

I think you are correct

I think if I remember rightly he worked for Peter Mandelson in a spin doctor type role.

Yes I actually think there is a conversation to be had about consent, but that's certainly not what the OP was about, they were basically about being sick of hearing about the story and 'milking it' which is a different thing entirely.

Derek was something in the Labour Party (an advisor under Tony Blair I think) he then went on to be a psychotherapist.

Do you know, I thought he was a TV producer but he's actually a pyschotherapist

I don't think theworriedwell is being nasty. I do understand the discomfort around ethically representing vulnerable people. I really don't think anyone, including Kate is exploiting him though.

theworriedwell

*GG13 I totally agree Derek has lost his ability to earn the living he was earning before he took ill and Kate G has to manage all the finances and look after their children's future she is doing what is best for her family.* Great, he's lost the ability to make a living so sell him to the highest bidder, invade his privacy he can't work so who cares.

Another nasty post, have you watched the documentary, heard her or their children speak?

Yes, see what Covid can do, worriedwell
It devastates people's lives.

theworriedwell lets hope you are never in the position of being the sole wage earner and needing to pay for the care for a severely disabled person, support two children and your career is in an industry where the best way of doing these things is to talk about the problems your family are going through.

Need drives many people to do things they would otherwise not contemplate.

I dont see Derek as a freak.
He is someone devastated by a virus we are apparently all going to catch.
He is a dad, husband, but never a freak.

MissAdventure

I absolutely know without any doubt that I would not want to blog about an illness.
Not now, not at the beginning or end of my illness or struggles.
That isnt going to change.
It's how I am.

I wouldn't either, but we're all different. The thought of a support group and everyone sharing their experiences does not appeal to me at all.

Kate is a journalist and this is what she does. If she can keep the devastating effects of Covid in the public eye that is all to the good. She's good with words, no need to film the poor man. If feels like a Victorian freak show, roll up roll up come and see what covid does.

MissAdventure

I absolutely know without any doubt that I would not want to blog about an illness.
Not now, not at the beginning or end of my illness or struggles.
That isnt going to change.
It's how I am.

I wouldn't either. I'm a very private person, no way would I be posting about personal matters other than on an anonymous site. If I was unable to object and someone put films of me on TV or social media I'd come back and haunt them.

JaneJudge

Josianne, you highlight what I mentioned. Society expects carers to behave in a certain way. Well, we are all different and we are allowed to behave however we want to behave and cope in whichever manner that helps. It's about time these unrealistic expectations on carers and people in general going through tough times, stopped.

Some people find that sharing their problems and their grief is therapeutic and helps them through the difficulties they face every day.

Others find it difficult to express their feelings and to share, they are naturally more reticent and private.

Kate is a journalist and this is what she does. If she can keep the devastating effects of Covid in the public eye that is all to the good.

I absolutely know without any doubt that I would not want to blog about an illness.
Not now, not at the beginning or end of my illness or struggles.
That isnt going to change.
It's how I am.

GG13 I totally agree Derek has lost his ability to earn the living he was earning before he took ill and Kate G has to manage all the finances and look after their children's future she is doing what is best for her family. Great, he's lost the ability to make a living so sell him to the highest bidder, invade his privacy he can't work so who cares.

MissAdventure

Would your family be confident to know your choices?
I'm convinced mine would, as I think I'm safe to say I know theirs.

You might know on the other hand you might be wrong. Now if you are fit and well you might think you wouldn't mind a documentary about you, you might feel differently if you were lying there so different to the person you once were.

M0nica

flaxwoven Kate Garraway is the only bread winner in her family now. She has a severely disabled husbandwhom she clearly loves dearly and whose care costs must be astronomical, two school age children and probably a mortgage. She is a professional broadcaster.

What do you think she should do? Put her husband in care, sell the house and live on the pickings she can find or, as she has chosen to do to care for her husband, try and keep a stable home for her children while she works her socks off in everyway she can to keep the wagon on the road. Sadly, her husbands plight is of interest to other people, potential programmes are there, and I am sure she finds this need to exploit her family circumstances difficult.

But needs must when the devil drives.

Someone as unwell as him should have NHS funding for continuing care.

Would your family be confident to know your choices?
I'm convinced mine would, as I think I'm safe to say I know theirs.

pinkquartz

I admire Kate Galloway for the way she is handling what has happened to her beloved husband.

I don't have to read the book or watch a documentary if I don't want to.
Perhaps those objecting just don't like to know too much about other peoples suffering?
We can choose whether or not to take any notice but Kate and Derek's family have not choice other than to live with the outcome of this awful Virus.

The point isn't that you don't have to watch the programme but if he would want you to have access to him when he is in such a vulnerable state.

MissAdventure

I'm sure your family know that about you?
There are people who find it helpful to blog about their cancer, from beginning to the very end.
There are plenty on youtube doing exactly that.

But that is their choice.

flaxwoven Kate Garraway is the only bread winner in her family now. She has a severely disabled husbandwhom she clearly loves dearly and whose care costs must be astronomical, two school age children and probably a mortgage. She is a professional broadcaster.

What do you think she should do? Put her husband in care, sell the house and live on the pickings she can find or, as she has chosen to do to care for her husband, try and keep a stable home for her children while she works her socks off in everyway she can to keep the wagon on the road. Sadly, her husbands plight is of interest to other people, potential programmes are there, and I am sure she finds this need to exploit her family circumstances difficult.

But needs must when the devil drives.

flaxwoven what an absolutely awful sour thread opener

I admire Kate Galloway for the way she is handling what has happened to her beloved husband.

I don't have to read the book or watch a documentary if I don't want to.
Perhaps those objecting just don't like to know too much about other peoples suffering?
We can choose whether or not to take any notice but Kate and Derek's family have not choice other than to live with the outcome of this awful Virus.