Roundabout a Jump Rope

Our small city has several roundabouts strewn about the roadway system. Some brilliant person thought these would make progress through these intersections quicker than a 4-way stop.

OR…

The minds who came up with this plan were great jump ropers in their childhood and thought this would be the perfect way to keep that memory alive. You know, when two friends each hold one end of a jump rope and turn it so you can jump to your hearts content. The trick was to have perfect timing– to enter the center jumping area just as the rope was moving away from you so you would be in place as the rope made its way over and back around to the ground where you could jump over it. Jump…jump…jump.

You were a GOOD jump roper if you could do that. And, if that is not enough fun, they would turn the rope faster so you could jump “double time” which meant you were a GREAT jump roper. Even better than that, though, was when they would add a second rope and turn them opposite directions. If you were a double-dutch jump roper, you were AMAZING! Those friends who added tricks as they jumped were SUPERB!

When I approach one of these wonderful (too small) round-abouts, I approach with the thought “timing is everything” and I know I have to get my timing just right to enter so the car coming from the left is not too close, but that the traffic to my right is not ready to pull out in front of me as I make the drive around the loop. I can’t wait too long so as not to upset the driver behind me who is impatiently awaiting their turn. I have to make sure I am in the correct lane as I enter so I am in the lane I need when I exit, so as not to miss my right turn into the Costco parking lot. I haven’t figured out if I am good, great or amazing at this challenge, but the one thing I do know is… Timing is everything!

Not Good Timing

In March of 2023, my husband and I went on our first cruise with my sister and her husband. The first morning on the ship I realized I forgot my daily medication I was taking at the time for MS. It was a good thing my doctor just the month prior talked with me about a world wide conference he attended in the fall over in Europe. He said they reiterated that people over 50 who are on my prescribed medication have an increased risk of infections that can land them in the hospital. He said I should think about coming off of the medication. I was already in my late fifties. So, it was good timing that I forgot my medication when I did. I simply quit.

The year 2024 was the most stress-filled year I have had in my entire life. I experienced extreme emotions that were a rollercoaster that took me from the lowest lows to the highest highs and back again. Stress the playground for MS to explore and attack. Myelin sheaths beware. Riding the rollercoaster of high emotions and stress was not good timing without the protection the medication.

The MRI this month of my brain, neck and T-spine showed new lesions at all three levels. Two levels are active lesions, which means they occurred within the last 3-4 months. At my appointment with my neurologist this week, it was decided that I should go on a new medication to keep the MS attacks or exacerbations to a minimum. Apparently, having a “youthful” immune system in my situation is not a good thing.

A call came today from the company that makes the poison that will be infused into my body every 6 months beginning in March. The good news is that the medication is so expensive that I qualify for a “copay assist program” that will help pay for my copays, which means it will help with any deductible and out of pocket expenses I might incur from taking this medication. That is great news, but it would have been better news in January. Too bad the new and increased symptoms I have been experiencing these past few weeks did not happen in December of last year when my deductible was met, so the MRI would not cost me anything and the infusions could have started in January so my deductible would be met in January each year. Indeed, timing is everything.

Next month is the soonest I will be able to start treatment. I hope that is soon enough to prevent additional lesions from forming in my brain and spinal cord. This anxiety needs to calm down so I can enjoy whatever my future has in store for me with the best health possible at this point. There is a lot of good life to live!