Help Todd get BACK on his feet

Hi Friends,


My name is Todd Bushong and I am humbly asking for your donation for BACK surgery.  


Let me first begin by thanking you for getting here on my fund raising site - along with any consideration you may give after having a better understanding of how this came to be.  As you will read, I will be brutally honest here on the details of this unfortunate ordeal. My plea is that you would read this in its entirety before making any considerations - for that I would be greatly appreciative.  


On July 1st of 2020, I happily accepted an invitation to take a late afternoon motorcycle ride with a good friend.  For those who know me well, a couple of my true joys in life are riding my motorcycle and playing golf.  On those amazing days in Utah where I can do both on the same day, well for me, life does not get much better.  The ride we chose that day was easy for us to agree on.. let’s get out of the hot July sun and into the much cooler air of the Wasatch Mountains!  I’M SOOOO DAMN EXCITED!!  We decided to begin our ride into scenic American Fork Canyon, up over the beautiful Alpine Loop (a 20 mile climb up to 8k feet), and settling into Robert Redford’s amazing Sundance Mountain Ski Resort for a quick bite.  We proceeded south connecting us to Provo Canyon, west up and around Deer Creek Reservoir, and then north into the quiet town of Midway.  We figured it was time to head BACK home and it was a no-brainer for us to start heading up and over Guardman’s Pass, which would drop us BACK into the Salt Lake valley.  It was here that our ride took an unfortunate turn for the worse, specifically for me.  Adjacent to the road leading you to the opening of Guardman’s Pass, is one of Utah’s favorite local golf courses, Wasatch Mountain Golf Course (it’s one of the posts I have on my Instagram account).  As I was glancing over at the players on the course, I unknowingly drifted towards the right just as the road was beginning to bend slightly to the left.  My front tire was now literally inches away from a two foot wide strip of gravel between the road and tall grass - - OH SHIT - - in my years of riding, my experience told me that had I reacted quickly and tried to over-correct in the gravel, I’m confident the bike would have spun out under me.  I immediately made a split decision to enter into the tall grass area and was fervently gearing down while intermittently hitting both brakes.  Seeing that I had a very short stopping area ahead of me, I made another split decision to lay the bike down sideways, attempting to avoid the clump of tall brush and trees that were coming up on me quickly.  Luckily, and thank God, I wasn’t seriously injured, (other than my ego and a slight twisting of my left ankle) or so I thought.  The bike however had suffered some minor damage -  I picked up the bike, and with Rob’s help we were able to push and pull the handlebars BACK into shape enabling me to ride it home.  As I pulled into the garage and shut the engine off, I replayed the accident over and over in my mind as I was trying to assess what I could have done differently.  My thoughts immediately turned to God, and as is customary for me to do upon making it home safely, I said a prayer thanking Him for watching over me while out riding my motorcycle.  This particular prayer was especially emotional, as my accident could have turned out much much worse.


It wasn’t until seventeen days later that I woke up in the middle of the night and my hip and left leg, the one that took the brunt of the force while laying the bike down, had that tingling feeling of being asleep. I didn’t give it much thought really, just figured I had slept in some odd configuration.  As my early tee time approached that morning, the tingling feeling was still there but I believed it would simply go away.  It was until later, around hole number eight, that I began to think it could be more than just having my leg falling asleep and something was definitely wrong… my foot was now beginning to fall asleep as well.  Clearly the idiot I am, I continued on for a few more holes.  I started walking BACK to the golf cart after finishing hole number eleven, and it was then I made the decision to end the round.  I now was having trouble feeling the bottom of my foot hitting the ground.  


The truck ride home was filled with thoughts of fear of the unknown, having never seriously been injured throughout my entire adult life.  Upon arriving home, I did what I think most would do - I opened up the computer to self-diagnose the symptoms I was experiencing.  Practically every online article and video suggested I most likely had a lower lumbar BACK injury.  By not having medical insurance, another one of the idiotic decisions I’ve made now biting me in the ass, I attempted to justified not carrying it by never being injured...ever!!  Stubbornly, instead of getting a professional examination, I immediately started a physical therapy program which I found online.  It suggested by following their methodology, the BACK injury would typically correct itself over a six to eight week time period.  It was then on the 43rd day that I began to worry that maybe something structurally was damaged.  I made an appointment at TaylorMED MRI for a professional medical assessment of the pain, tightness, and the pins and needles feeling I was experiencing in my BACK, extending down the front of my leg, and stopping at the ankle.  The MRI revealed that there were multiple lower lumbar injuries indicating a disc bulge in the L3-4, L4-5, and the L5-S1 areas of my spine.  I asked Dr. Taylor for advice and he suggested SouthWest Spine and Pain Center for further assessment and possible treatment.  Fast forward to today, eleven months into the injury and several futile attempts to reduce the multiple symptoms I have; which include three separate epidural steroid injections, hydrotherapy, cryotherapy, T.E.N.S. therapy, CBD/THCA/MCT-Oil tincture therapy, inflammation killing natural supplements, powerful prescribed medications, and an advanced daily routine of the McKenzie Method physical therapy program.  It has now become evident it’s time to go forward with BACK surgery as I’ve begun experiencing a slight feeling that my leg is now lagging behind. 


This invisible injury that showed up following my accident has all but immobilized me for the better part of eleven months now. Sitting, standing, walking, and especially sleeping have each been a grueling task on their own.  By making the choice to be mostly in isolation while dealing with this injury, along with what we have all faced from this COVID pandemic both personally and professionally.. well, to say that it has taken its toll on me physically, emotionally, psychologically, and financially would be an understatement.  Adding insult to (my) injury, for the better part of the last 5 years, the company I proudly represented as an independent contractor, completely shut down the division I was working for in March 2020, eliminating any income coming in.  However, it is my understanding they have recently opened back up that division and are presenting their commercial real estate educational workshops in certain pockets around the country.   


Please understand how challenging and humbling this is for me having to put together a funding page for something I am 100% at fault for.  I never imagined at this point of my life I would be reaching out for this or any kind of assistance.  It has taken me a few months now to mentally resolve this and to ultimately force myself to eliminate both my pride and ego for the betterment of my immediate and long term health.  This long difficult process has been both grueling and enlightening, and many many fearful tears have been privately shed.  Understandably, getting to this point, reaching out in this way, will clearly open me up to criticism and ridicule from those who will insist “you made your bed, now lie in it”…and yes, that is true - no words here will change that fact!   Please know that it has been only through some very difficult private conversations with a very select few, each one forcefully chipping away my pride and ego, that they have been able to get me to this point of vulnerability.  They all have reminded me of the many ways in which I have generously conducted myself and how it has made a positive rippling effect across the lives of many.  To those I am referring to, who helped me with their kindness, tough love, support, and guidance, you truly mean the world to me!! 


I’m reminded by the lyrics performed by Tim McGraw from his song Humble and Kind -  “Don’t take for granted the love this life gives you - When you get where you’re going don’t forget to turn back around - And help the next one in line - Always stay humble and kind”


Lastly, I know we have all said to someone in times of personal, financial, or medical hardship “Let me know if there’s anything I can do...” well, this is one of those times in which I am in need of your support.  


THANK YOU for any consideration that could lead you to take action and make a donation.  I realize the last year hasn’t been easy for any of us and has presented financial hardships for all of us, so if you’re in a position where you can’t donate I completely understand.  I would humbly ask you to please share this link instead to your friends and family.  Anything and everything helps and it all means so much to me… much more than any words can describe to Help Todd get BACK on his feet!  

B. Todd Bushong