ABSTRACT
Living with a spinal cord injury is experienced as a lifelong process. Scientific knowledge, from an insider's perspective, about the relationship between subjective well-being and persons living with spinal cord injuries has been limited. This article reports part of a study that explored the role of subjective well-being and its connection to the phases of recovery in persons living with traumatic spinal cord injury. Using a framework described by H. J. Rubin and I. S. Rubin (2005), three in-depth interviews were carried out with four participants who had a traumatically acquired spinal cord injury and were living in the community. Interviews were audiotaped, and data analysis was ongoing. Well-being was present for each of the participants prior to their injuries and continued to be present during the phases of recovery. Well-being occurred both in the moment of experience and in the broader sense of achieving rehabilitation and life goals. Positive feelings were connected with making progress, being productive, returning to a routine, and sustaining relationships. Future research is needed to focus on how nurses can assist persons living with spinal cord injury to achieve goals, return to normalcy, and maintain well-being.