The nature, meanings, and dynamics of lived experiences of a person with syringomyelia: a phenomenological study.

Syringomyelia, considered a rare neurological disease, is relatively uninvestigated in the nursing literature. The aims of this qualitative phenomenological case study were to discover the nature, meanings, and dynamics of lived experiences of a 52-year-old Caucasian male with syringomyelia. Using van Manen's Method of Phenomenological inquiry (van Manen, 1990), data were collected, checked, and analyzed according to the philosophy, approach, and methodological procedures of phenomenology.

Lived female experience of chronic bladder cancer: a phenomenologic case study.

The purpose of this phenomenologic case study was to disclose the lived experiences of a woman survivor of invasive bladder cancer who underwent reconstructive surgery resulting in re-established urinary continence. Data revealed the chronic nature of managing reestablished urinary continence, the uncertainty of long-term survival, and the complexity of the sudden loss of urinary continence.

Neurosurgical considerations in posttraumatic syringomyelia.

Syringomyelia is a progressive degenerative disorder that results in numerous life-altering symptoms. People with this disorder frequently are misdiagnosed and most likely will experience intractable pain for many years. Surgical procedures may offer some relief from symptoms through spinal decompression or cerebrospinal fluid shunting; however, these procedures often are unsuccessful in altering the course or progression of the disease process.

The meaning of stroke in elderly women: a phenomenological investigation.

The objective of this article is to discover meanings of stroke in elderly, non-institutionalized women survivors. Using a qualitative design, a purposive sample of five elderly women in residential settings was studied. Data were gathered through interviews and analyzed using van Manen's method of thematic analysis.