Living with paraplegia: tensions and contradictions

Although it is well established that paraplegia results in dramatic lifestyle changes, little is understood about living in the community with paraplegia, especially from the perspective of the person with paraplegia. To develop insight into this experience, in-depth, personal interviews were conducted with seven individuals with paraplegia who had been living back in the community for less than two years. Qualitative analysis of their transcribed interviews suggests that the transitional process revolved around their struggle to reposition themselves in a holististic way that reflects the injury while moving beyond it. Four interrelated challenges textured the experience: maintaining an identity beyond the medical; contending with the stigma of difference; addressing the invisible work of day-to-day living; and balancing independence and dependence. Implications for practice are discussed.