. 2023 Jan 31;11(1):E90–E100. doi: 10.9778/cmajo.20210330

Table 4:

Quotations representing the theme of uncertainty

Descriptive codes	Exemplar quotations
Worry Anxiety Quality of life Physical health Plan for future	“… anguish and uncertainty and whatever because of the lack of communication, no answers and no timeline; well, unfortunately it’s, well, you could die before you get your knee replacement, right.” [Participant 7A] “Even the facts of, like, if I was going to go somewhere, right, I would love to make all these plans, but I can’t because I don’t know if I can speak and I don’t know if I can, I don’t know if I can make any kind of future plans, because I’m like, oh, I have to wait for surgery.” [Participant 10] “It delays everything; it puts absolutely everything on hold. I think when I mentioned a cumulative effect for me. Before the Mar. 31, 2021, surgery, which was the reversal. That had been postponed so, then I was postponed for November, scheduled for Mar. 31. We are holding on by a thread in our home to see if I’m even going to get in. Or if things are going to be cancelled because we watch the numbers; everyone’s watching the numbers.” [Participant 11] “I’m at their mercy basically of when, when they’ll get me back in. And just not really being given any sort of alternative option. I mean I don’t know what that would look like, or what I even expect but, yeah, you just kind of feel very left in the dark.” [Participant 9] “… loss of control and all of those unknowns, it’s just hard to comprehend, and I guess just, yeah, plan for your future because I have no idea. So even just, like, on a mental health toll it’s, it’s impacted my day to day and wanting to make plans.” [Participant 9] “It would definitely be to just have that date in mind and just be able to mentally prepare for it. So, it was difficult to not have a date and to just be kind of in limbo and waiting and not knowing both personally and professionally how that was going to be affecting things in my life.” [Participant 4]

Descriptive codes

Exemplar quotations

Worry
Anxiety
Quality of life
Physical health
Plan for future

“… anguish and uncertainty and whatever because of the lack of communication, no answers and no timeline; well, unfortunately it’s, well, you could die before you get your knee replacement, right.” [Participant 7A]
“Even the facts of, like, if I was going to go somewhere, right, I would love to make all these plans, but I can’t because I don’t know if I can speak and I don’t know if I can, I don’t know if I can make any kind of future plans, because I’m like, oh, I have to wait for surgery.” [Participant 10]
“It delays everything; it puts absolutely everything on hold. I think when I mentioned a cumulative effect for me. Before the Mar. 31, 2021, surgery, which was the reversal. That had been postponed so, then I was postponed for November, scheduled for Mar. 31. We are holding on by a thread in our home to see if I’m even going to get in. Or if things are going to be cancelled because we watch the numbers; everyone’s watching the numbers.” [Participant 11]
“I’m at their mercy basically of when, when they’ll get me back in. And just not really being given any sort of alternative option. I mean I don’t know what that would look like, or what I even expect but, yeah, you just kind of feel very left in the dark.” [Participant 9]
“… loss of control and all of those unknowns, it’s just hard to comprehend, and I guess just, yeah, plan for your future because I have no idea. So even just, like, on a mental health toll it’s, it’s impacted my day to day and wanting to make plans.” [Participant 9]
“It would definitely be to just have that date in mind and just be able to mentally prepare for it. So, it was difficult to not have a date and to just be kind of in limbo and waiting and not knowing both personally and professionally how that was going to be affecting things in my life.” [Participant 4]