Gen 3 Explorer 7.3 Powerstroke, F/R SAS Dana 60

[410Fortune]

Dang so sorry to hear this!! They can do amazing things these days,
Here is to a speedy recovery!!

 

[Fix4Dirt]

sorry to hear that! i remember seeing this build before i joined, hoping you have a fast recovery, and, take it easy for a while (imo) as jamie said, tons of mirscles these days!

 

[Ex-cursion]

Hello, you rang…!?

 

[DintDobbs]

@CallMeSyd Whoa, I somehow missed this thread before... I'm late to the game, but I hope that your back is doing better now. Some times, we take it a little too much for granted that we can do what we want to, when we want to.

Thank God for letting you wake up one morning like that, rather than it coming on when you were on the road or on the trail, or moving a heavy object. It could have been much worse for you and family. There's always a good side of things to look at.

 

[CallMeSyd]

I've scheduled yet another appointment to see the doctor/surgeon about my back and my current options. I'm a bit confused on what is going on right now because he said that I needed surgery at my last visit, but then they scheduled me for physical therapy... I went to the physical therapy, and they now have me scheduled for therapy through the end of the year, and plan to schedule me further for who knows how long. I don't need a workout. I want to be able to stand and do ordinary things without painful back spasms and get the disc off my sciatic nerve so that that crap (twice already) doesn't happen again. The pain when it happens is excruciating and I told both my doctor and my physical therapist that I considered suicide the first time as it went on for over 2 weeks and there is no escape from the pain. Imagine lying on the floor and being unable to move because every single movement, even in the slightest, is like someone twisting a sword through your back and down through your entire leg. Pain so bad your vision goes in and out. Then having to fight through that pain for over an hour trying to find a position to pull yourself up that is bearable, just to find out that there is no such position. And finally having to just use every ounce of willpower and have someone help you get up and throw yourself over the arm of the couch, blacking out and waking up in a puddle of your own drool. Just to go through the same pain getting yourself to a recliner that you can sit in, and then realizing that the only bearable position you can sit in is completely leaned over the right armrest, on your ribcage, and having to sleep like that and stay in that position for days until the inflammation goes down enough that you can actually, finally lay back in the recliner as intended. And of course spending the next week just sitting there, except for the times when you have to use the restroom, which is a whole other level of pain and fiasco. You don't even want to know how fun it is to wipe. It was another week and a half before I could walk 10 or 20 feet without a walker or cane. I'm 35 freaking years old! Something has to give, because you're absolutely right. How long until this crap happens to me when I'm out by myself and there's nobody to help or I don't have my phone? Luckily, I have learned from this and understand that I have a hard limit that I didn't have before. I am currently up walking around on my own 2 feet, and able to sleep in my bed at night, pretty much back to normal, except for the usual pain and spasms. I have permanent nerve damage in my left sciatic nerve (ever since the first time this happened, and got worse after the second time) and the smallest toe on my left foot is permanently numb and then on the bottom of my foot feels like when I step, I'm stepping on a piece of ¼" steel rod. It hurts quite bad when waking barefoot but luckily it is tolerable with shoes on. I almost feel ok being like this, but I know that the condition is degenerative and will only worsen, and I'm afraid that this thing could happen again, even though I've been extra careful not to put any unnecessary strain on my back. I kind of just want the surgery so that I don't have to worry about it, at least for quite some time, but this damned physical therapist keeps telling me oh well the surgery could fix it but you might suffer other issues. Like, dude I'm already in constant pain. I have a 1 year old son now and honestly I just want to be active in his life and be able to throw a ball with him and teach him to build ****. Maybe still be able to pick him up and hold him in a year or 2 or carry him on my shoulders. The thought of not being able to do things with my son kills me worse than anything... but anyways, thank you guys for the support. I really appreciate it. I had to leave my job due to my back problems, so my family is really struggling. I'm working on starting a business building parts for offroad trucks, starting with ours. Right now I'm trying to get some of the bigger fabricating equipment that I need and materials. Hopefully I'll have some 3rd gen winch bumpers, rear bumpers, and rock sliders out soon. As well as an sas kit eventually. And 4th gen next.

 

[DintDobbs]

@CallMeSyd Well, know that you're being prayed for, buddy. Hopefully the surgery won't be shoved off for too long; I've known (of, I didn't know him personally) a guy who had a collapsed disc in his back, had to have a surgery for that. He lost quite a bit of his range of motion afterward, but the surgery was successful, and he went back to his job. That was a good 10 years ago, may be more. Every situation is different, but I've got a fair amount of confidence that the trade-off will be worth it, in your case.

Was in the garage getting an alignment on Hazey the other day and caught a commercial on the TV for a compression band called "Beactive+" that's supposed to help with such spasms and sciatic nerve pain. The people in the commercial didn't have the nerve damage that you have, so it's not just a simple fix for the real problem, but the sharp stabbing pain between the leg and back were described as what it prevents. May be have a chat with your doc about something of that sort, of course along with the physical therapy (don't slack on the workouts, it's a daily grind, but can actually do a lot of good).

Also, talk to your doc about seeing a chiropractor. Since you've already got nerve damage, one false move could be devastating, but after a poor judgment call I made during a construction project, a year or two of chiropractic care really fixed me up. Some things, you need medical care for, but for other things, you have potential alternatives.

 

[CallMeSyd]

@CallMeSyd Well, know that you're being prayed for, buddy. Hopefully the surgery won't be shoved off for too long; I've known (of, I didn't know him personally) a guy who had a collapsed disc in his back, had to have a surgery for that. He lost quite a bit of his range of motion afterward, but the surgery was successful, and he went back to his job. That was a good 10 years ago, may be more. Every situation is different, but I've got a fair amount of confidence that the trade-off will be worth it, in your case.

Was in the garage getting an alignment on Hazey the other day and caught a commercial on the TV for a compression band called "Beactive+" that's supposed to help with such spasms and sciatic nerve pain. The people in the commercial didn't have the nerve damage that you have, so it's not just a simple fix for the real problem, but the sharp stabbing pain between the leg and back were described as what it prevents. May be have a chat with your doc about something of that sort, of course along with the physical therapy (don't slack on the workouts, it's a daily grind, but can actually do a lot of good).

Also, talk to your doc about seeing a chiropractor. Since you've already got nerve damage, one false move could be devastating, but after a poor judgment call I made during a construction project, a year or two of chiropractic care really fixed me up. Some things, you need medical care for, but for other things, you have potential alternatives.

I have tried the beactive brace and it did help years ago, but it doesn't do much for me now. I have tried the chiropractor, never seemed to help, but I will ask my doctor about it. They said they just want to go in and shave a disc, not a fusion, yet. So, hopefully I won't lose any range of motion. I have degenerative disc disease, and every disc in my lumbar is shot. Eventually I will have to have another surgery for spinal fusion. I'm thinking the discectomy, along with steroid injections, should have me pretty well fixed up until then. I'm scared sh*tless of surgery, but I don't know what else to do. I'll see what the doctor has to say. Thank you for the prayers and advice.

 

[Ex-cursion]

Wish you the best bud!

I still have the 7.3 explorer, never got any bites when it was for sale. What questions do you have?

I have a 4th Gen now I built with Chevy Gen V LT and 10 speed!

These are great bodied vehicles to put basically whatever engine trans combo you want in them!

 

[CallMeSyd]

Wish you the best bud!

I still have the 7.3 explorer, never got any bites when it was for sale. What questions do you have?

I have a 4th Gen now I built with Chevy Gen V LT and 10 speed!

These are great bodied vehicles to put basically whatever engine trans combo you want in them!

Oh, you're the guy... lol I was like, who is this guy? Yeah I'm interested in buying it. If not, I'm trying to build one similar to it. Lol I was like this guy's name looks so familiar. I am in bad shape financially right now but I'm trying to turn that around very soon. I'll send you my cell number in a private message.

 

[Rick]

I hope the PT works for you. I had some bad sciatic nerve "attacks. I practically collapsed at the knees a few times when the pain hit. Physical therapy has definitely worked for me and I still do the stretches and exercises.

BTW, I thought you could use some cheering up, so I set you up with a complimentary Elite membership

 

[CallMeSyd]

I hope the PT works for you. I had some bad sciatic nerve "attacks. I practically collapsed at the knees a few times when the pain hit. Physical therapy has definitely worked for me and I still do the stretches and exercises.

BTW, I thought you could use some cheering up, so I set you up with a complimentary Elite membership

Thank you so much for that. That's super cool of you. I really love this community. You guys are the best. And I hope it works too. I have my doubts, but I told the physical therapist to go ahead and schedule me twice a week along with the home exercises. I told him I don't care how I get better, I just want to get better.

 

[CallMeSyd]

I have a 2004 limited 4.6 4x4 with a bad motor waiting for a 7.3 swap lol. I just have so much going on that I don't know when I'll get to it. I traded my 2003 XLT 4.0 4x4 for something for the wife. Still have my 02 Limited 4.6 4x4 with the 3.73 LS class 3 package, and my 2004 NBX 4.6 4x4 daily with 3.73s as well. So I'm down to 3. One of them just waiting for good news lol.

 

[CallMeSyd]

Wish you the best bud!

I still have the 7.3 explorer, never got any bites when it was for sale. What questions do you have?

I have a 4th Gen now I built with Chevy Gen V LT and 10 speed!

These are great bodied vehicles to put basically whatever engine trans combo you want in them!

Yooooo.