Boldly Blue

We’re in the final days of the Big Blue Test, and we haven’t yet hit our goal of 8,000 people participating!

So, we need to get on that.

If you aren’t familiar, here’s the promo video below and some basic background can be found online at the Big Blue Test site.

Originally, I’d planned to participate every day between Nov. 1 and Nov. 14.

But I slacked and dropped the ball, and have only done a two-test and exercise routine a handful of times since Diabetes Awareness Month began.

Generally, my results haven’t changed much. A couple have gone down some, a couple have gone up.

Two tests stand out in my mind.

- On Sunday, Nov. 6, a Big Blue Test happened in downtown Indianapolis. Kim and her husband were in town from Nebraska for a friend’s wedding, and so Suzi and I along with Cherise and her daughter gathered in downtown Indy for brunch and to hangout. After eating, we tested outside the restaurant and then walked Monument Circle for about 15 minutes before testing again. Cherise captured some video, more video, even more video, and the post-exercise BG results on her Flip. (For the record: I was the only one whose numbers went up.) But at least we had fun and participated together!!

It doesn't say No #BigBlueTest

- On Thursday, Nov. 10, I took to the streets of Indy and ventured back to Monument Circle for my exercise. That meant jogging up and down the two dozen + steps for almost 20 minutes. Now, I don’t trust the change because I had a correction in my system from about an hour earlier… but the results I entered were 228 pre-jog and then 140 post-exercise. BONUS: a Monument security woman decided I apparently looked suspicious hanging around and jogging up and down the steps, and hassled me about loitering. A simple explanation cleared it up, but the whole notion of this being “loitering” just blew my mind. (Me to Security Lady: “No, actually I’m doing the Big Blue Test.” Her initial response: A blank stare.) I walked away. And then I went back and did the same thing on Friday.

Those are the most memorable experiences so far, but I believe this final weekend and the World Diabetes Day festivities may bring even more creativity and awesomeness – here and worldwide!

As of early Friday afternoon, 2,700 people had participated – 1,817 living with diabetes, and 881 not living with diabetes.

We need to boost our numbers over the weekend and as much as possible on World Diabetes Day on Monday!!!

I hadn't advertised or promoted this through my work much, but did that early on Friday and got a great response from my co-workers - some asking questions and saying they'd not only participate but spread word to those they know!

Even more than that, we now have some last-minute creative incentive to add to the mix of awesomeness that’s been going on out there in the Diabetes Community….

The other day, I was Twitter-taunting Todd Siesky who is PR manager at Roche Diagnostics – the main supporter and contributor behind the Big Blue Test. I proclaimed randomly that he should dye his hair blue. His response: “Such action could possible cause Earth to cease rotation...”

But that following morning, an email found its way to my Inbox saying that Todd had an idea, and that maybe this could be used as a creative motivator to get more participants in the Big Blue Test. A few more emails and the plan was born: If we don’t get to 7,000 participants by Noon on Monday, then Todd/Rob Mueller/and Manny Hernandez WON’T dye our hair BLUE or wear a wig and make crazy videos about it.

Manny has even done a little video explaining this "Blue Hair Challenge" that the Accu-check team is on board with! So that’s some additional motivation to participate right there. (I’ve also been informed that I’m not able to get past participating in this whole blue-hair experiment, either… Oh boy.)

And by extension, I believe this may just add to the bag of fun that so many in the Diabetes Online Community are dying their hair blue. While this could be scary, we hope it’s somehow fun and motivational. And an awareness-builder to just spark conversation and advocacy from all those we may come in contact with during our day on Monday.

Oh, and WEAR BLUE!!!!

So that's it. The things we do in the name of Diabetes Awareness…