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PPI Stepdown pt 4

UPDATED May 13, 2021! New info about PPIs and my current health. Made into new post as well.

Another update in my ongoing battle with GERD. Sigh.

While I am glad I’ve rid myself of PPI use, I can’t say that it’s been without its issues. I have bouts of GERD every single day, while awake and while asleep. I typically get a flare after eating (doesn’t matter what it is) and occasionally with wine.

I was AM using Pepcid, an H2 blocker with antacid (10mg famotidine + 750mg calcium carbonate) when GERD was really bad or it was flaring before bed – and it works GREAT! I was having some issues with the H2, but they planed out. I do have some constipation issues, but nothing that a senna caplet can’t handle.

I looked up famotidine and it has the best track record for long term use. There are no long term health issues from using is, as there are with PPIs. I discovered that PPIs have been DIRECTLY LINKED to liver damage with long term use. That is in addition to the potential kidney issues. Here is the NIH article on liver damage.

I do use Tums (calcium carbonate) A LOT to manage the breakthrough GERD that I get during the day and sometimes at night. I was looking up the details of calcium carbonate, such as safe amounts to take daily and found that it’s generally 2-3 grams per day for old people like me. Each chew is 750mg, so that’s 3-4 per day. Sometimes I am within that, sometimes not. The long term overdosing on calcium carbonate can cause kidney stones, but that’s about it. Constipation is a common side effect, which I manage with senna.

BUT overall, I feel that famotidine and calcium carbonate are my long term solution to VSG induced GERD. I use calcium carbonate (Tums chews) during the day if I need it and I take one Pepcid (famotidine + calcium carbonate) before bed. I’ve been on this regimen for about a year and it is OK. Not as good as PPIs, but I just can’t justify the potential organ damage that is caused by stopping stomach acid production. I think there is going to be a huge wave of people with organ failures from taking PPIs for years. I don’t want to be one of them.

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Catering, Party Planning & Meal Prep

Caprese Salad

I specialize in cocktail nosh for small parties. I have done Korean, Puerto Rican, Indian, Italian, Mediterranean and other cuisines. I write all the menus and design all the recipes myself. I specialize in parties, but I could do small dinners as well. I am also available for meal prep. Prices depend upon what you type of food you want and the amount. I will deliver for a small fee.

tailgate catering spread
Cocktail Party catering

HERE is a gallery with some photos of my food!

Shrimp w/ Creamy Prosecco Sauce

You can get ahold of me via email (misangelaspam at gmail dot com), FB or IG. I can’t put my phone number here, but if you have it you can call or text me! Thanks!!

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Angela’s EASY Almond Madeleines

The plain (lemon) recipe is here.

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Angela's Easy Almond Madeleines

Yes! Madeleines are actually very easy. Julia Child's recipe seems daunting, but after making these several times and streamlining the recipe, I've found that Madeleines are actually pretty simple to make. I love them! Below is my Almond recipe, there is also a lemon (plain) recipe.
THIS recipe is also EXCELLENT as a chocolate madeleine! SEE NOTES!
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine French
Keyword almond madeleines, easy madeleines, madeleines
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 36 MINI Madeleines
Author misangela

Equipment

  • MINI Madeleine pans, two (if you have regular sized pans, this recipe will make about half as many AND the time will change, SEE NOTES.)
  • Gallon ziplock or pastry bag if you've got one.
  • Cooling rack.
  • Wire strainer to sift confectioners sugar.

Ingredients

  • 2 lg eggs, beaten
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 cup A/P flour
  • 2/3 cup Almond flour OR grind up one 2.25oz bag blanched slivered almonds
  • 4 oz butter (one stick, cut up) I use salted, if you don't, add 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt to this recipe.
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract use the real thing please
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • confectioners sugar to coat after baking

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Whisk together sugar, A/P flour and Almond flour.
  • Put butter in microwave dish and melt - do not boil, use half power. When mostly melted, whisk briskly to ensure it's all melted and it will cool properly. It takes about 1-2 minutes.
  • Beat eggs.
  • Using a strong spoonula, stir together flour and eggs. Stir for a couple of minutes. Add extracts and stir again.
  • Make sure butter is just WARM (if not, whisk it a bit and it'll cool down) and stir into batter. Stir thoroughly until batter is fully smooth and integrated.
  • Put batter in freezer for about 10 minutes to cool. Remove, stir again, put back in freezer for about 5 more minutes.
  • Thoroughly spray Madeleine pans with food release OR brush with butter.
  • Put batter into a gallon ziplock (or pastry bag with plain large tip) for easy dispensing into the madeleine pan. Fill madeleine cups about 3/4 - about 2 tsp for a MINI pan or about a Tablespoon for regular sized pan.
  • Make sure oven racks are in the center two. Put one pan on each rack. Set timer for 10 minutes for MINIs and 15 minutes for regular sized. Rotate pans at halfway point for even cooking.
  • When madeleines are browned to your liking, put on a cooling rack and cover with confectioners sugar. (Use a wire strainer to shake sugar through.)

Notes

If you have regular sized Madeleine pans, this recipe will make about half as many (~18 or so).  The cook time will be at least 15 minutes, perhaps more if you like them medium brown like I do. 
There is another recipe on this site for plain (lemon) Madeleines. 
If you like chocolate, just add 3 Tbl of baking cocoa powder to the dry ingredients. SO tasty! They are just a little firmer than the almond, but still cook up perfectly! 
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Apple of my Eye

[In the 10 years since Steve resigned, Apple has, indeed, lost the innovation and become a company that makes appliances. There are no professional level Macs under $4-5k. The new units (MB and iMacs) run on PHONE chips. Nothing is upgradeable or even fixable. Apple is a sad remnant of what it was, as far as I’m concerned. I still love Mac, the iPhone and the Watch, but I’m using a 12 yr old Mac Pro because I can’t afford $4-5k for a new one. I refuse to use a trashcan Mac. I am also not interested in a non upgradeable iMac that runs on a PHONE processor. So, here I sit, with old equipment because Apple has stopped making real computers. I am disappointed in Apple as a user, but they do a good job paying the stockholders, so yay? That is really what has happened. Apple is all about stock prices, which making appliances keeps HIGH, not being the best computer company in the world. Hence the name change from Apple Computer, to just Apple. Sigh. – Aug 2021]

So, Steve Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple. It is the end of an era. I know as long as Steve is alive, he’ll be there, laying plans for more innovations and surprises. But when he finally succumbs to the various illnesses he has, I think that will be the end of Apple as we know it.

Yes, Tim Cook has been Steve’s right hand man for years. Yes, Jonathan Ive is the brilliant designer who took Steve’s ideas and made them real. BUT. Neither of these guys are the ones who THINK UP the mad schemes in the first place. Tim Cook has a reputation as a quiet, rather staid man. That does not make me think of INNOVATION. It makes me think of Microsoft.

Which is where Apple will end up when Steve’s ideas have been plumbed and there’s no more Steve to come up with a computer that “looks like a flower” (iMac circa 2002) or an iPod, iPhone, iPad… You get the picture. Yes, I’m sure Steve’s got plenty of innovations in channel and will keep it that way as long as he is able. But when he’s gone, he’s gone.

It makes me a bit sad to know that I will most likely see Apple grind slowly to a halt and become a useless behemoth like Microsoft. But I’m pretty sure it’ll happen.

I just hope it happens slowly enough that by the time Apple is dead, I won’t care because I’ll be too old to use a computer anyway.

In the meantime, Apple is still my brand and I wouldn’t dream of using anything else.

Viva la Apple! And long live Steve Jobs! :)

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And this guy calls ME crazy?

Update: Oh, looky, here’s the fat fuck’s FB! http://www.facebook.com/ryan.h.nixon How he got a semi-hot wife I’ll never know. [8.12.12] UPDATE January 2021: that is still his FB profile. To no one’s surprise, he’s a T**** supporter and all round racist, misogynistic nutbag. LOL I see he’s also taken his RABID fanboydom and started selling SG-1 merch (there is a link to his shop from his FB). Wow, he is not only the most important person ever enlisted in the Navy, but he’s also the PREMIER SG-1 costumer and action star of the WORLD! Wowee! Man. This guy is pretty delusional. He’s also BFFs with the whole SG-1 cast – LOOK! He’s got signed photos!!! Wow.

Original story:
Ok, I put up a few LJ posts to get rid of the stupid tac vests. This crazed fanboy immediately sends me nasty rude emails about how stupid I am because these vests don’t have the buckles and they are worthless, etc etc. So I send him an email telling him that not everyone is a rabid costumer and he’s just a bully and he really should just STFU.

Well, today, I get a threatening email from him (below) which I thought I’d best post JUST IN CASE this psychopath stalks me and I have to shoot him. If anything happens to me, my boi, my pets or my property, this loser is the first place to start with suspects, ok?

This guy is the prime example of why I detest “career” military folk in general. He thinks it’s perfectly fine to threaten me because he’s in the military and I’m just a stupid civilian. Well, here ya go, folks, a fine example of what’s wrong with the military (bold mine):

From: Jumper2Pilot@aol.com
Date: August 14, 2009 1:15:06 AM EDT

OMG you are mental woman! I left home at 18 and no I do not live with my mother! I am 37 years old, married and have a life! I am career military and have been serving my country for 19 years so psychos like you can talk smack as part of your freedoms of life!

Get off your horse and get clue, you know nothing about me and if you did you wouldn’t be talking that way to me you prob be very careful what came out your mouth!

Ya I get emails from ebay on EVERY Blackhawk vest posted! Saw your ebay id indigodragon-auctions, I should buy them and resell them just to piss you off even more!

Fanboy huh.. I work on million dollar F-18 hornets EVERYDAY blowing your tax dollars on jet fuel… Go take off your corset that’s too to tight or throw on your troll costume because you seriously have issues, nah you have a SUBSCRIPTION! 
 
Take my advice and don’t piss me off!!! Hell next time a Decatur police officer pulls you over, you might have to wonder if he was a Selected Reserve that worked for me for 4 years when I ran the entire 800 Division in ATLANTA!

Oh, yah, I’m SO glad that losers like this work for me. What he fails to see is that I PAY FOR HIS SORRY ASS.

So, if I’m abducted or attacked, please use the email above and this convenient pic to track down my stalker:
Mr Ryan "Stitch" Nixon, stalker

Oh, and he’s a rabid fanboy here: http://www.scifihero.net

And his FB is here: https://www.facebook.com/ryan.h.nixon

There, that should cover any bullshit that happens in the future. Military threats against a civilian is probably not considered proper protocol. I hope someone above him sees this and takes care of it. This is crazy psycho email. HE better hope that HE doesn’t get caught for threatening civilians.