Hiya
How are things with your nephew now?
I had my injury 10 yrs ago when I was 19, I have a c4/5 complete injury. I was vented then got pneumonia a week after my injury. I was vented for 9 weeks (part of my diaphram function returned whilst using different breathing exercises through the vent ), then I spent a further 5 weeks with the tracky in until i could blow hard enough (which is still a really weak blo, I cant cough) that dr.s considered it safe to take it out. From the minute I was injured I was asked, begged, threttened, pleaded with to eat! but i simply could not swallow past the tracky without choking and this didnt seem to register with the nurses they were sure I was making it up! I was sick of hearing 'well everyone else can eat with a tracky in"), I drank enough milk shakes to keep them from putting the food tube back in. I didnt eat until around 3 months later & I was VERY thin 6-7 stone, I was 14 stone muscle bound boy when I had my accident. At this point I went to rehab and was surrounded by lads (and a couple of girls) with the same / similar injuries as myself and I must say it was this companionship & being with others who truly understood exactly what I was going through that simply made me forget the tormenting thoughts in my head that had been there from the start (the feeling of non-understanding, lonelyness, you are the only person who is experiencing this). With in a few weeks I was GETTING FAT, lol! and going along my bussiness in rehab just like everyone else there

I was in rehab 1 year 2 month, and although I hated being in hospital, being around all my friends in the spinal unit (we were all in around a year, people dont seem to be in hospital long nowadays) is the best memmories I have. We all had a right laugh together, and got up to all sorts of trouble plus we were there for each other on down days, I still talk to most of them through facebook now
So that is my little story, which probably is no help to you, but just incase you can take something from it I thought Ide tell ya

I hope I havnt bord you to death

And I hope everything is ok at your end.
Company & fellow spinal injury matez are the best way forward in my expearience (and learning to do something, ANYTHING, for yourself!) thats why sites like this one are excelent

Keep strong
Mike