"I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD the Maker of heaven and earth."
                                                                                                                                                        Ps 121:1-2

This will be our final post, so I will give you all a quick update as to what has all happened in the past 8  months.
  I can't believe it was 8 months ago already that our lives were changed in many ways.  When Nathan was diagnosed with flesh eating disease, we were all uncertain as to what was going to happen, and how our lives were going to change.  The only thing that did not change was our Heavenly Father's unfailing love and faithfulness, and in this alone we were comforted and certain that our future was completely in His hands.  How thankful we are to rest in this knowledge. 
After 99 days in hospital, Nathan returned home to us, his wife and children.  It was a difficult and very busy transition, but with time, we all adjusted and began a "new normal"  It was only a few months later, and we recieved the phone call, it was time for Nate to return to hospital and begin the "final" leg (no pun intended) of our journey.  April 8th Nate was admitted to the Hamilton Rehab Center to begin relearning to walk.  This was also the most exciting part, to see Nathana walk again was something we had originally been told would not happen for approx 1 year after the amputation and here we were not even 6 months later and Nathan was learning to walk.  Our Heavenly Father certainly was in full control of all things.
After only 5 weeks in hospital Nathan returned home, walking!! We were told, we were done with physio, done with hospital stays (D.V.) and all we had left were doctors appointments.  Nathan would now have to learn to walk in the real world, where the ground is uneven, crowds of people don't move out of the way for you and children (inculding his own) will run right in front of you and even take out a cane. 
It has been 6 weeks since discharge, and since then we have seen Nate's plastic surgeon Dr. Cooper.  Dr. Cooper has been with us since the very first surgery and has treated us with respect and as people not a number.  He is an excellent surgeon who truly saw that,( as he put it) "a greater power is watching over you."  Yes, our Almighty and Heavenly Father has guided Dr. Cooper and the many other doctors and nurses and medical staff.  It was our Master Physician who healed Nate!  We will not be seeing Dr. Cooper again as he is moving out east, and as Nate has healed so well that he most likely will not need to see a plastic surgeon in the near future. 
As for the other doctors that we must yet visit; Dr. Grad, (prosthetic doctor) we will be seeing regularily.  Nathan will also be seeing his dermatologist as well and next year Nate will once again visit his cardiologist.  But at this time we only see a doctor about once a month, and soon hopefully less.
Now to what Nathan has been doing over the past 6 weeks.  Well if you know Nate, then you know it takes  a lot to keep him down.  The first week home, Nate took it easy, but since then he started by driving the lawn mower and in the past week he has been driving tractor.  He has also been back in his shop fixing friends and family vehicles - keeping himself very busy.  Nate has had to learn how to do things again, things that were so easy before.  He has had to learn how to safely maneuver his way around his shop and onto a tractor.  Nate also has had to relearn how to swim, as he cannot wear his prosthetic in the water -  it just took one dive in the pool and two cute kids and Nate is back to having fun in the water. 
Our lives have definately changed, but it has been all for the glory of God.  He has graciously carried us through these past 8 months and we know that He will continue to carry us through the rest of our lives.  We have been richly blessed with family who truly care and have helped us so much in the past months.  We have been blessed with friends who have steped up and done so many many things for us.  We have been blessed with the communion of saints - in our own congregation we have truly felt their love and care, and the communion world wide who prayed and assisted us in so many ways as well.  We have been also blessed with others, such as those at  Sheehan's truck center, parts stores, and other places who have helped us in so many waysll.   To each and every one of you - THANK YOU.  We are truly thankful for each prayer to our Heavenly Father, for He has heard them all.  We are thankful for every other thing that has been done for us as well.  How gracious and awesome our Father is to provide us with so much. 
May each of you, trust in Him alone.  He will guide you each day and He does have a perfect plan worked out for each of you.  His Word prevails. 
With thankful hearts and christian love.
Nathan & Aileen Diek 
Taryn & Aiden