Table 3.

Illustrative quotes

Quotations in text	Illustrative quote
3.3. Managing everyday life with fatigue
3.3.1.Fatigue and its consequences
Q1	Female—16 years: “The others were tired, but I was beyond tired, I became so clumsy”
Q2	Female—17 years: “I’m very fatigued, I pushed myself too much for too long, and therefore I struggle a lot now, being tired”. (When asked when it started, she continues:) “I started noticing it right after I finished the treatment really, but I was confused, because when I had finished the treatment, then I felt that I should be healthy, so there should be nothing more wrong with me. When I finally told the doctor that I was very tired, it was ‘we know’ right away, that it was normal, but there was nothing they…., as I can recall that they talked about during treatment [Exposed breath]”
Q3	Male—15 years: “I still have some days where I have to take time off from school. I have to stay home and sleep all day, to take me up a bit - because then I’ve spent a lot of energy over time ...... Eeh and then the body simply takes over and says; ‘That’s enough, now you need to relax’ - so then I have to stay home and sleep”.
3.3.2. Pushing myself to master
Q4	Male—15 years: “I like to push myself [laughs], I just think it’s good, and I think it’s good for the body and…. It is, after all, to be in shape, and, there is nothing worse than not being in shape somehow. And I can perform better on, really, everything……. I feel like when you get physically fit and can push yourself, it also becomes easier in school, in a way”.
Q5	Female—18 years: “I think I’m going to take the extra course next year, as it gives me general study privileges. And then my main goal is to become a nurse - but we’ll see if I can manage……, because it is a demanding career, you have to be “on the move” a lot, and that is difficult being as tired as I am all the time…”
3.3.3. Balancing activities
Q6	Female—16 years: “After cancer treatment, I experienced having to be better at portioning out activities and stuff I do with my friends that require something of me. I have to make sure to retreat a bit, so I can participate, instead of having to lie straight out the next day and not being able to do anything. ........ it is difficult when fun things are happening, but, yes, it becomes part of everyday life, so you learn to do it, but it is not always easy”.
Q7	Female—17 years: “and then we had to borrow a wheelchair that we had at home. Then it was like.. if we went for a walk, I walked and Dad pushed the wheelchair, and then I went as far as I managed and then I sat down”.
3.4 Building self-management competence
3.4.1. Mastering towards a new normal
Q8	Female, 17 years: “To function in everyday life is most important, - that you manage to go for a walk, be able to be in school alone, without having to rely on a wheelchair, that you manage to lift your books yourself. Just being able to comb your hair and brush your teeth yourself, it was like getting lactic acid deluxe! – Just that – one day be able to do it, it’s a really great feeling of mastery!”
Q9	Male, 16 years: “I have these goals, after all. So now, I have started to run a little, because we have a hill test at school and I broke the record earlier this year (laughs). It has been standing for nine years, or something…”
3.4.2. Adjusting expectations and justifying choices
Q10	Female, 18 years: “I have fatigue, so that’s why it is wise not to participate so much at middle school (years 8-10) as high school counts for much more. It’s better that I concentrate on that.”
Q11	Male 11 years: “Without the cancer I would have been higher, stronger and fitter, even stronger than my brother; Now I am like the smallest boy in my class”
Q12	Female, 13 years: “Listen to your body and do what you can, find something you can manage and maybe even love. If you feel ready for it, don’t be afraid to start again - because I was really scared of it - but I started, and am happy about it (laughs) - yes you will probably never be as good as you were, but you can still be very good”.
3.4.3. Changing arenas
Q13	Male, 9 years: “I don’t really like football…. Yeah, I’m not very fast, and I am not that strong to kick the ball, as I used to…..when I somehow throw ... when I somehow can’t throw that far or throw so strong or somehow run so fast”. Interviewer: Why do you think that is? Boy: Well, after all, my body used all its forces to fight the cancer.
Q14	Female 12 years: “Football started to get a little boring so I wanted to try something new ..... I wanted to try gymnastics, but then I was not strong enough because you had to stay on a pole and then you had to pull your legs up. If you managed that, then you could start ... then after that, I started with kickboxing”.
3.5 Cancer survivor as part of identity?
3.5.1. Positive benefits of cancer
Q15	Female, 18 years: “Without the leukemia, much had been different. I would not have been so sure, what I want to do for a living, working as a nurse on this ward (pediatric oncology). I have a completely different view of what cancer is, not being as scared of it now as I used to be because I have seen that it can work out well sometimes”.
Q16	Female, 17 years: “I will not sit back and think damn, that the cancer was only shit, it really wasn’t - many nice things also happened, it was good times in a way (laughs)”. If I had not become sick, I would not have been the person I am today, and I am very satisfied being me”.
3.5.2. Being open about the cancer experience
Q17	Female—17 years: “I have accepted that the cancer happened, now I want to go on, think ahead and not look back”. p. 153
Q18	Female, 16 years: “I’m a little addicted to being able to talk about it (the cancer disease) with someone because it was traumatic -because I went through something big”
Q19	Male, 15 years: “Hey, have YOU had cancer? Wow! - then you could have died.”