Figure 2.

Conceptual model.

Notes: The conceptual model is an integration of all that was being experienced by participants who had undergone surgery for degenerative spine disease. The three shaded backgrounds colors represent the three categories, Losing Me, Fixing Me, and Recovering Me. The road represents the journey participants engage in as they moved through the phases. The two primary conditions, Being Delayed and Having Setbacks influenced participants time in a category, usually prolonging the time in that phase, not allowing them to progress. The type of condition influenced the degree and number of challenges (curves) the participant incurred. The setbacks or delays in progress resulted in participants having to continually Set or Adjust Expectations for their recovery.