NO FASTING THIS A.M., BUT A LONGER DAY ON AND OFF MAYO CLINIC CAMPUSES.........

1:15 pm ...I was able to sleep an extra hour this morning, receiving a 6:30 am wake up call, had breakfast in the hotel at 7:20 am, took the Hampton shuttle at 8 am, to the hospital in Phoenix; and then the Mayo shuttle, the fourteen miles over to the clinic site in Scottsdale. Once there, I had a Radiology appointment for x-rays on my back, feet, and chest; and then, a 6 Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring. The monitor was attached to my right arm and I was sent away for the afternoon, with an instruction card that included a six hour diary to be kept of my activities. So, after having lunch at the Mayo Clinic Cafeteria, of penne with roasted chicken, green beans, and Crystal Light lemonade, I took the double shuttle back to the Hampton Inn, to take my midday meds, catch up on the day's news, check my e-mails, write my blog column, Facebooking, and reading, before shuttling back to the hospital campus to drop my bp monitor off at the Information desk. My weigh in this morning, was 246 lbs, the same as on Dec. 9, the day of my appointment with Dr. Bhat. So I am starting to maintain my post transplant weight gain at 41 lbs., with a New Year's goal of losing 21-31 lbs., to be at my optimal body weight. And before I begin doing more strenuous physical exercising in January...4:02 pm...Rain has come to an overcast and cooler Phoenix, than it was Sunday and Monday. A light rain has been falling since shortly after my return to the hotel earlier this afternoon. The major proviso during the blood pressure monitoring is not to lay down, nap, or fall asleep, thus freshly brewed coffee in my room before and after my between meals snack, has helped keep me alert during the waiting period to complete this several hours of bp monitoring. There are four restaurants within a stone's throw of the Hampton Inn. As the hotel serves a complimentary breakfast and evening hors d'uevres, a dinner meal from one of them simplifies my solo dining. 'Carlos O'Brien's', 'Broker's Bar and Grill', 'The Tilted Kilt', and 'La Torretta', are the foursome. After having Mexican food Sunday night from O'Brien's; Prime Rib, Monday night at Broker's; tonight I will eat at La Torretta; after my return trip to the Mayo Clinic Hospital at 5 pm, and we have lunch at the Kilt; tomorrow, before my 3 o'clock appointments to finish my four month evaluation at MCHA : Mayo Clinic Hospital Arizona. Tonight, in addition to time spent on the internet, I will watch more Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music, as my Advent prayer transitions into readiness for Christmas 2009. I see AMC has the movie "Christmas Eve", on its holiday schedule. There are at least two versions, a 1949 theatrical release, and my preference, the 1986 NBC-TV movie, starring the late, great, actress and lady, Loretta Young. It is a touching, tear inspiring, a wonderful Christmas production, that is one of my December viewing traditions, the past twenty three years. Hopefully, it will be airing tonight, as it aired late last night after I fell asleep......Time to take a walk about the hotel block and close out my six hours of being medically pumped up every ten minutes or less, for evaluative purposes.........May the King of all Nations, Who Is the Keystone of the Church, Come and Save Us and Humankind, Whom God Formed from the Dust, as Christ's Coming at Christmas draws Near, Fr. Troy