A Co Down woman whose parents are sleeping in their living room says they're desperate to get some independence back.
Natasha Foster, from Newtownards, said their lives changed two years ago when her father Ian's kidneys began to fail.
From this bad turn, the 59-year-old was put on dialysis and was diagnosed with Calciphylaxis, a rare condition on the back of his leg which caused his skin to begin rotting away.
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Natasha, who is 26, is currently studying a masters degree in Law in between helping with the care of her father.
She told Belfast Live that her dad was a well known taxi driver in the area for over 30 years, but had to give up the job he loved as his health declines.
"My father battled sepsis multiple times and was in and out of hospital due to his feet rotting away there was a few times we were told to prepare for the worst and this ultimately accumulated in him having an above the knee amputation," Natasha added.
"He is unsuitable for a prosthesis due to other medical issues which have left him bed bound. He sleeps in a medical bed in our living room and he needs the use of his wheelchair to get him to dialysis.
"He's been living, sleeping and going to the toilet in our living room as our house is not disabled accessible for him so he cannot get to the bathroom and does not have any privacy as he has no bedroom.
"My mother Noeleen has been sleeping on a sofa for the last two years to be there to take care of him."
Natasha says they have had planning permission granted to have an extension built onto their home, to help give him get his quality of life back.
Because they own their home, a grant from the Housing Executive which they have welcomed, isn't enough to cover the work required to build a disabled-friendly extension including a wet room and bedroom.
"Anyone who knows my father knows he's a joker he has always been the life and soul of the party and always the first to make everyone laugh," she added.
"My father has worked all of his life and has never had to rely on benefits until now that he cannot work and my mother is his full time carer. With my mother and father unable to work there is no way we would be able to have access to the extra £6,000 we need to make the extension a reality.
"It is because of this I have set up a Go Fund Me page to help my father to regain some independence and to improve his quality of life. I never thought that I would ever need to have to make a this but unfortunately I do not see any other way forward."
For more information and to help the Foster family, follow their Go Fund Me here.
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