Conducted an ethnography to determine what it is like to anticipate living with a permanent disability. 13 paraplegic patients (aged 17–67 yrs) with spinal cord injury (SCI) participated in the study. It was observed that Ss expressed despair toward their injury, their altered body, and the work of learning to manage daily activity, by swearing. This swearing behavior appeared to be a culturally acceptable substitute for crying and a way of releasing feelings of despair as Ss learned the day-to-day meaning of living with an SCI. As the permanence of their injury was realized, Ss' expression of hope was modified to a realistic level consistent with their injury.