Donate to help Bruce Simonson

My name is Robert Schelinski, and I want to talk about someone who is not only a co-worker who I have been in the trenches with for over 15 years, but someone who I consider to be a friend.

His name is Bruce Simonson and for the past year or so Bruce has been battling a health issue that turned for the worse this past May. At that time, Bruce had to take an FMLA leave since he could not longer perform his work tasks but more important to give him the time and flexibility to go to the various Doctors treating Bruce.

Bruce suffered from severe blockages in the veins of his right leg. The pain was suffocating at times; and Bruce being wary of opioids was hesitant to take the pain medication to alleviate this pain. The Doctors then determined that he was a candidate for vein by-pass surgery that they were convinced would start blood flowing down through his leg and foot, which was the most affected by his condition.

The first surgery gave him limited and very temporary relief. In the meantime, he sought the advice of a podiatrist, who at one point made the decision to amputate one of Bruce’s toes – again giving Bruce limited and very temporary relief. Bruce then was admitted after a visit to the emergency room because his foot was getting worse; during that hospital stay, Bruce caught COVID and had additional bypass surgery only then to have the rest of his toes amputated. He was in the hospital for a week – but no relief from the pain and discomfort.

This all happened between May and the first part of August – surgeries, recovery, doctor visits, not being able to return to work and not being able to be the active person he has been all his life. Depression and anxiety & a sense of worthlessness was creeping in.

No job meant no income, and no income meant bills were not getting paid and making ends meet was proving to be more and more difficult. His co-workers raised some funds in the beginning, but that went quickly to put food on the table, pay utilities and keep bill collectors at bay; Bruce also had a group of close friends that had another fund raiser, but still not enough to keep his head above water. Mortgage payments, car payments, insurance, taxes and groceries. Forget the mounting medical bills.

After getting out of the hospital after his latest by-pass and amputation, Bruce was determined to seek better treatment and traveled about an hour and a half to see another Doctor, and what was supposed to be a second opinion appointment turned out to be another weeklong hospital stay; but it was a good hospital stay since he was now in the hands of a Doctor who could and did provide him relief – but the price of that relief was first having his foot amputated below the ankle, and then two days later having a final amputation mid-calf. This was mid-August and for the first time since May, Bruce felt relief and better yet, felt optimistic about his recovery and future.

His road to recovery will be long – at least 4 months before being fitted with a prosthetic – and it is questionable if he will be able to return to work; and yes, he has started the disability process with Social Security, but that can take months.

Bruce currently has no source of his own income. Like many hard-working class folks in this country, he lived paycheck to paycheck, putting a roof over his head and food on the table. Savings, 401k and the like were something not attainable; and we can all Monday Morning Quarterback his situation, “should of, would of, could of”, but us hard-working folks are all guilty of working today and not worrying about tomorrow; thinking with hard work we can get through anything. Well Bruce cannot do it all by himself.

Bruce knows sacrifice – he is in the process of selling his beloved Harley. I was there when he made the decision; a grown man crying; he did not cry once during all his pain and misery. And the sad thing is, he probably will not get fair value in today’s economy. That is probably what hurts him the most.

I am asking the Go Fund Me community to step up and step in as you do (and I myself do) each and every day. I would like to raise at least $15,000 for Bruce to carry him through the next four months until he qualifies and starts to receive Social Security Disability. Between what we can raise, and he can sell his motorcycle for (hopefully) will give him some piece of mind, some hope for his future.

Bruce was always the first to offer the shirt off his back to whomever needed help, whether it was a dollar or cutting the lawn of his disabled neighbor. Would like to pay it forward with Bruce and with your help.