Neverland: A Critical Autoethnography of Aging with Cystic Fibrosis

In this autoethnography, I analyze stereotypes and misconceptions about people with cystic fibrosis (CF). I examine these illness representations and their social underpinnings through critical analysis of my journey to conclusive diagnosis with CF after first being tested for the disease in early life, and the events that have followed from that turning point. Using experiential data and prior research, I explore and refute harmful misconceptions about life with CF. I challenge the notion that people with CF never grow old. I also contest the idea that people who receive conclusive diagnoses during adulthood only then transition into patient identities. In doing so, I compare and contrast my own experiences with evidence from other patient narratives. I engage lived experiences from both outside and within the CF community to explore intersectional perceptions of aging. By giving voice to the diverse realities of aging with CF, I illuminate larger gaps in the illness management literature and the health care services it informs. I conclude that narrow representations of illness experience can ultimately impede quality health care and social support for people aging with CF, and that centering diverse patient voices can positively transform both clinical and community experiences.