Skip to main content

Table 2 Major themes found in participants’ written workbook text

From: Feasibility and thematic analysis of narrative visualization materials with physical activity monitoring among breast cancer survivors

Theme

Illustrative quotations

Family

“I walked a bit, stretched a little and also played kickball with family first time ever! Excited to be so active & feel great afterwards.”

“I would love to see all of my grandkids grow up. I keep that as my motivation. Grandbaby on the way and I have GOT to be able to get to know this bundle.”

“My health and family are primary. Stay busy & active will keep me with them and remind of what I’m living for.”

Chores and Obligations

“I woke up and fixed breakfast and did the household chores. Sit for a while and then went out with my daughter.”

“Weekend household chores. Yard work … again.”

“… ran a few errands, attended a meeting – walked from the garage back and forth.”

Health and illness

“Not very active. Had chemo all day.”

“Back pain. It’s difficult to know how much walking to do without causing pain elsewhere. Drinking a lot of water forced me to get up and move to go to the bathroom.”

“Not much activity. I did not feel good on this day. I started taking a new med. Doctor said medicine would make me feel sluggish until it adjust to my body.”

Personal reflection

“Looking through my pictures made me realize how blessed I am to have these wonderful gifts in my life. The actual visualization of these blessings, all together in this notebook make me understand the importance of them in my life and recognize the fact that I don’t tell them (enough) how important they are to me. God and family are what’s more important to me (fur babies included).”

“‘Live like you were dying’ – we all have an expiration date, hope with more activity mine is not too soon.”

“This study has allowed me a way to express my day – my feelings my thoughts. I needed this to show me the way to include a new activity in my life. I need to write and sort my activities and emotions. Help me to discover the me at age 66, a senior elderly. With old memories and making new memories. Building a new chapter. Learning how to live with the fear of cancer, recovering or being a survivor. Taking a closer look at my world – looking a [t] grass, sky, family, friend in a deeper way. Then attempt to put it all down to try and find out who I want to be when I grow up!”

Hobbies or Activities

“The activities of interest are most important – flowers that became a hobby when I needed something, ministry which is at my core and shopping.”

“My ministry activities are very motivating because if I’m not healthy I cannot serve in ministry.”

“Family project … Garden. I loved watching my husband teach my grandson how to use tools when they built this garden. So many lessons you can teach children when they don’t even have a clue that it’s a teaching session.”

Shopping

“I still had one more promise to keep. I went to the grocery store to get things for the meal for the Cowboys-Saints game party at my sister’s house. Big pot of chili and all of the fixins! WHEW!”

“Today I needed a ‘me’ day to shop off the island and also to take care of some business however I was determined to get my steps in by pounding the pavement.”

“My daughter loves to shop, of course we went to the mall. I walked for a while, going in and out of stores, we started at 3:00 PM and did not get home until 9:00, you know it was busy.”