A Nova Scotia teenager has lost the ability to speak after a severe sinus infection led to a series of strokes that left him in hospital for eight months.
Nik Latter, 18, was hospitalized last year after a serious sinus infection broke the barrier between his sinuses and his brain, causing the infection to spread and triggering several strokes.
鈥淭hey told us the chances of him even waking up after this were very slim,鈥� his mother, Rhonda Latter, told CTV Atlantic.
But the teen, who had no previous medical troubles, survived emergency brain surgery and defied a doctor鈥檚 diagnosis that he would be paralyzed from the neck down.
Latter was released from hospital in March and is now able to move his right leg and right arm, but he now requires around-the-clock care.
To make matters worse, Latter鈥檚 family says they aren鈥檛 getting the financial help they need from the Nova Scotia government. They have received some assistance through the province鈥檚 continuing care funding, but those funds dry up in August.
After that, they fear they鈥檒l be left to fend for themselves.
鈥淚 know we are his parents, we are taking on everything, but it would be nice once in a while to have a little bit of help,鈥� said Nik鈥檚 father, Reg Latter.
The family has applied for assistance through the province鈥檚 department of community services, but they鈥檝e been denied funding twice. The Latters already struggle to pay an additional $700 per month in care costs and they鈥檒l soon be tasked with paying for 30 per cent of Nik鈥檚 chair and lift rentals.
鈥淲e need some help,鈥� Rhonda Latter said.
Asked about the case, a Nova Scotia government spokesperson said it鈥檚 likely that the family could receive funding from another department.
鈥淚n cases where we have denied, it鈥檚 probably because there鈥檚 a program that exists in another department that鈥檚 best suited for that particular family,鈥� said Joe Rudderham, executive director of the province鈥檚 disability support program.
Rudderham added that if someone has been denied funding, they should have been directed to the proper department to access the help they need.
But the Latters say they haven鈥檛 been given any guidance from the government and instead are left footing the bill on their own.
鈥淗e鈥檚 our responsibility and we鈥檙e not walking away from him, we鈥檒l do whatever we鈥檝e got to do,鈥� Reg Latter said.
With files from CTV Atlantic
