Several people had told me that this would be a "birthday" as a whole new, and better, life would begin. It was true.
Over the years, I've watched several young kids undergo a colectomy - some permanent, some temporary, and everyone of them had a much improved quality of life. And it happened quickly.
As a parent, my biggest adjustment was to find new things to focus my energy on, since my child's health was no longer running my life!