I also have CF, and my diagnosis was different than most: I grew up dirt poor and wasn't diagnosed until I was almost 14. Even after diagnosis, it pretty much became incumbent on me to manage my care. I feel that not being put in a bubble and not being told I was going to die kept CF from shaping my perspective (today I'm 47 and have all the boring problems people my age have. My health is tolerable, sitting at about 50-60% lung capacity)