I was recently diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 67. Although I love my CF care team, I think it will be important for them to understand age-related care in addition to CF care — especially as the CF population ages.
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My path to a total colectomy was long and challenging. Now I want to share what I learned about self-advocating for necessary medical care and coping with a surgically created opening on my abdomen called a stoma.
I was recently diagnosed at 69 years old. Although it helped explain why I had been sick so often and gave me a new community, I can’t help but think about the lost time when my disease went untreated.
My life was turned upside down when I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis caused by a rare mutation, but my passion for figure skating has helped me stay healthy and happy through it all.
My wife and I were heartbroken when our daughter, Ruth, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a newborn. But CF can’t stop us from being optimistic about what the future holds for our family.
After managing various chronic symptoms my whole life, I was finally diagnosed with CF as an adult. As I struggled to cope with the news, my community rallied around me and taught me what true support looks like.
I have faced numerous health challenges in my life, including a recent diagnosis of osteopenia. Despite this, I am resilient, grateful, and determined to take care of myself while finding strength in the cystic fibrosis community.
Advances in cystic fibrosis care have been life-changing for me, and I’m grateful to breathe easier with a CFTR modulator. However, I began to experience new issues in the past few years, and I am left wondering if it’s a side effect of the CFTR modulator or something else.
It took a lot of self-advocacy — and a lot of medical testing — before I received a diagnosis of CFTR-related disorder. Fortunately, my parents supported me as I went from specialist to specialist and finally got my diagnosis.
When my daughter was born, her newborn screening indicated that it was unlikely she had CF. But after months of mysterious symptoms, a sweat test confirmed her diagnosis. This unlocked answers not only for my daughter, but for our entire family.