Big Blue JDRF Walk

2013 JDRF Walk

On Sunday we participated in our eighth consecutive JDRF Walk. The walk provides something different for everyone. Community, support and hope are but a few of the good things that emanate from the gathering. I always think back to our first walk, it was just two months after Arden's diagnosis in 2006 and we were still reeling from the shock. The people that walked that day were each and every one, a stranger - but they helped me immeasurably just by being there. The stress that I felt was lightened when I saw so many living well with diabetes. Their presence made everything feel possible and the smiles on thier faces seemed to promise me that we were going to be okay. Today, eight walks later, I hope that our smiles have made someone else feel the same way.

And speaking of exercise and doing something good... When we got home from the walk each member of our family logged their information at Big Blue Test dot org.

from BigBlueTest.org

Since 2010, over 40,000 people helped themselves while helping more than 10,000 others. Most participants in the Big Blue Test experience an average blood sugar drop of 20% and by every Big Blue Test result a donation is made by the program sponsor to help others around the world with diabetes in need.The Big Blue Test is a program of the Diabetes Hands Foundation that encourages people with diabetes to test their blood sugar, exercise for 14-20 minutes, test again and share their experience on BigBlueTest.org. For every test, people with diabetes in need receive life-saving supplies through Big Blue Test grants that are awarded to humanitarian diabetes charities in the US and around the world, made possible thanks to the program sponsor. In 2013, the Big Blue Test grants will benefit two US-based initiatives (each will receive US$2,500) and an additional US$5,000 will support projects in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. This year, we’re seeking to reach 20,000 Big Blue Test entries, which will translate into a donation that will help save lives.

I want to encourage each of you to find out more about how you can support The Big Blue Test with just a few moments of effort.

 

Arden's Big Blue Test

The walk begins, CGM says 183

We decided to do the Big Blue Test during Arden's 7th Jdrf Walk. Arden woke up in the morning after being a little low overnight, she ate a banana as we were packing for the walk and then bolused appropriately. Normally I wouldn't treat a morning low with such a carbtastic food choice, but we were in a hurry and needed to get Arden's BG up so we could get out the door for the walk. With no pre-bolus to help battle the banana I expected a BG rise to happen in a short time, and as you can see on the DexCom graph (above), that's exactly what happened.

The next BG hurdle came as we waited for the rest of our walk team, and the soft pretzel table beckoned our son Cole. We Cole returned, I watched as Arden's eyes became fixed on the doughy confection. "Dad, can I get a pretzel?". Arden returned with a giant, carb infused, pretzel. I didn't even bother trying to pre-bolus because Arden couldn't decide how much she may eat. I told her to just go at it, and I'd figure it out when she was finished. At 10 AM, just as the walk was beginning, Arden announced that she had eaten as much as she could, which was well over half of the pretzel. I took my best guess at how many carbs she had, closed my eyes, and bolused away. Then we walked...

One hour and fifteen minutes later we stopped on the last leg of the walk to play by the water... Arden's CGM read 189 (image below). I know you are seeing a ton of people holding up their CGMs and meters before and after their Big Blue Test work outs. I know most show a decrease in their BG from just 15 minutes of activity, but this is even more amazing then that, and I'll show you why. I can almost guarantee that without the exercise that Arden did her BG would have been in the mid 300's, if we were lucky. Look again at the few hours prior to the end of the walk. A banana with no pre-bolus, a soft pretzel only 30-45 minutes later, again with no pre-bolus. These two food choices should not only have driven up Arden's BG, but decimated her BGs for the rest of the day. But look what happened...

 CGM says 189 after 75 minutes of walking, even with all of those carbs

The rest of the day and night followed suit.

Before lunch, 2 hours since walk start.

12.5 hours since walk began and after Chinese food at 7PM!

Check out the overnight graph that goes from Chinese food to waking. I made no overnight basal adjustments and gave no bolus.

Arden took The Big Blue Test to help The Diabetes Hands Foundation in their effort to send $100,000 in diabetes relief to places in need. In the process we learned that not only does moderate exercise help to control Arden's blood glucose, but it can provide a full day and night of BG stability. The experience also gave me a lot to think about regarding my own activity level.

I hope you take the Big Blue Test right now, you don't have to be a person living with diabetes to benifit from the activity or help the effort, just click the link. I'm very glad that I did!