Eighteen former patients in remission after acute leukemia or highly malignant lymphoma were interviewed about their daily life experiences prior to the diagnosis, during treatment and in their current life. The transcribed texts were analyzed from a phenomenological-hermeneutic perspective, expanded by their medical and social history as related in interviews. Living through the disease and treatment meant having been through a severe traumatic crisis that implied an overwhelming threat to their lives physically and existentially. The analysis revealed three groups, according to their evaluation of the entire experiences; Believed in life, fought for it and came through with increased strength; Life goes on, adapted to it and found a balance in existence; Life was over, felt out of control and lost the belief in life. The two first groups ascribed meaning to the experience they had been through, and evaluated it as something inevitable part of life. The third group was not through the crisis and evaluated their situation with bitterness. Their situation had similarities with post-traumatic stress syndromes. This shows the importance of offering long-term help in crisis management.