Hi Relat,
I am so sorry that you and your brother are having such difficulties with so many things in regards to CF. I agree with everyone that somedays seem too hard and others seem not very hard at all.
I will say this and it is not to come down on this site at all - but I have found that the more I read on this site the more depressed I can get. Sometimes we can inundate ourselves with TOO MUCH information. I try to stear clear of reading posts that do NOT pertain to a problem I have or an experience that I have had. If I read every post on here I start to panic and think Oh My God that is going to happen to me and so on and so on. It is nice to have the information available if you need it, but sometimes the information can be our worst enemy.
I would say try to just live life with your brother. Do not concentrate on the CF. Of course make sure he does what he needs to do - any meds and treatments - but live as you would have otherwise - as if CF were not the focus of his life. You will probably find that you are happier not thinking of it all the time. Also to add - CF can give a person limitations - but just because you have CF doesn't mean you have to be limited. If he can still go roller skating for hours - then he can still roller skate for hours whether he has CF or not. If he had tummy aches before he was diagnosed then he is having the same tummy aches now - the only difference is NOW there is a reason for them to happen.
I just wanted to share those things because I have had friends treat me as though I can not do something strictly because I have CF - there are things I can not do now and as years have passed since my lung function has gotten worse but there are still some things I can do. As for the problems he has having a diagnosed cause - I went for months without a diagnosis of diabetes and I felt horribly - at the time being diagnosed with diabetes was the best thing that could have happened to me ... WHY!?!? because we knew what the problem was and could take steps to treat it. CF may not be curable - but knowing what the problem is can be beneficial you can at least take steps to alleviate some of the side effects now.
I hope you start feeling better mentally and that things get better for your brother each day. I can not imagine the adjustment he is having to make being diagnosed at 20, but I am sure there are others on here that do understand because they have lived it - like Joni.
Take Care and I will be thinking of both of you,
Lindsey