Ingrown Toenails, and Casey too...

Once you get past the above picture, from here, you may read on.
...If you dare.
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Good Afternoon Everyone!
First and most importantly, I opened the most wonderfilled letter from Casey this morning when I signed on.  She is well.  While I will not share the entire letter- (it is too precious to do so), I will share this much: 
Casey writes: "...we shall spend lots of time together this weekend, now that I'm feeling MUCH better!!!

Thank you for calling the rescue squad on Wednesday, I know I didn't think it was a big deal at the time, but I now realize how bad it was. Especially after hearing that blood sugar reading and now seeing the picture of how I looked laying there on the couch... That must've been scary as hell for you, yet you thought quickly, called 911, and got to the hospital to be there with me..."

My Baby Girl sure ROCKS, doesn't she!

Now, on to my toe. You were warned in my previous blog that this entry would include pictures. It is your choice whether or not to look at them.

What I did not warn you about was my own ineptitude; (ignorance plain and simple).

• I always "thought" I knew what an ingrown toenail was.
  
  • Turns out I was wrong.

• I also "thought" I knew what caused them.
  
  • Turns out I was wrong about that too.
    
    • hehehe Not really...
      

Once upon a time I had a few corns which Dr. Scholl's took care of in a day or two once they became painful.
I have never had bunions. (I have been told I have 'sexy' feet more than a few times). ♥♥♥
As you know, I have been fighting with my own 2 big toenails for the past 2 decades. The top ridge of the nails would cut into the sides as it grew. I would soak them, apply dental numbing product and cut them low- into the sides of the toe, depending upon how far they had grown into the top of my toe.
Every now and again they would still poke out of the top of my toe. (Yeee-ouch)!
While terribly uncomfortable I humored them as I kept them trimmed, painted. Neat.  (Dare I say, my feet were always "Sandal-Ready")?! hehehe

Then along came my bad back.
Caring for my 'tens' presented quite a challenge to say the very least.
I persevered- mostly by neglecting my feet for twice the amount of time I normally did.
The girls had bought me a foot fixer, soaker, heater thing for Christmas one year. I use it a lot. But I still couldn't bend.

Anyway... Back to my ignorance.
(Please do not laugh at me- You may ask me almost anything about pancreatitis, or about the digestive tract, etc; but apparently you could not ask me about my toes).
'Til now that is.  (I thank you Dr. Balfour, for clearing these misconceptions up for me).

#1.
Ingrown toenails do not only affect the top part of the toe.
Ingrown toenails grow sideways, w-i-d-e-r, into the toe. (That's the part I had never known).
That is also why they would never go away, even when I would dig them out, file them, cut level, trim them, and take proper care of them.

#2.
Ingrown toenails are NOT caused by ill-fitting footwear.
They are caused by injuries to the toe.
They are mostly caused by the 'shape' of the underlying bone.
That is to say if your bone is flat, or more square shaped, chances are that you will not experience ingrown toenails, unless your toes have been injured, broken, or otherwise disturbed.
If your bone is round, like mine, your toenail roots will grow accordingly; growing and bending to the shape of the bone.

Since I had finished my antibiotic prescription for Cephalexin, it was time to be rid of the beasts. My back did not allow for me to make my feet easy to look at at this point in time- So forgive the unfiled, and unkempt polish on them.

Furthermore, that is powder on my feet. They are not that scaly or dry!

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Peek a tootsie!
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And from the other side now...
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hehehe
But look at all the metal instruments! Holy great grail! What'd they need all that for?!?

Look again at the above table for a moment...
Just curious, but what would YOU have grabbed???
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Yeah.  Me too.   
hehehe
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I had my b/p checked- Then my temp taken...
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And even a comforting hug from Miss Candy.
She applied lots of beta iodine to my toes, making them really rusty but still flexible.
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Enter the podiatrist... Yikes!  (I changed my mind- wanted to escape).

He was nice.
* One hell of a lot nicer than Jen's oral surgeon. (CLICK for her awful, horrible story).

I was to have both toenails done.
The doctor said no, even as I told him of my anxiety attacks, etc.  He said I would have to reschedule for the other big toe. Well yeah, he wants the office visit call.

After challenging me with his questions of ingrowns, he told me what to expect. This as he massaged my foot. He said he would begin by applying a topical numbing goo. (Medical terms I even understood). Then he had a spray can of freezing stuff. After that he would freeze my toe.

He gooed.
He sprayed.
Then came the poke!
I was expecting him to tell me 'when', but he didn't. Not being able to see through the table, I jumped at the poke. (Goo and spray had left much to be desired).
Then he told me...

He left the room.
Candy remained behind (maybe to make sure I didn't sprint out of there)

He returned about 5 minutes later. I was not froze, so he poked me again. This time he told me 'when' to expect the poke. No problem then.

(This is where your warning kicks in)...


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Note the red fishhook pokie thing on the left of the tray...
That's the top part of the left side of my big toe.

After that was all gone, he applied something to kill the nailbed so that part of my toenail would not return.

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Some kind of acid on the end of that long wooden Q-Tip.
Casey said it went under my skin at least an inch. OUCH! (But I didn't feel it).
You can actually see the ridge under the skin a bit.
The acid remains for 45 seconds, then gets rinsed.

And on to the other side of the toe...
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Know that it only looks bad.
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What looks worse is something that I never thought I would see...

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Both sides removed now...
The dime to give you a sense of how much these bad boys had hurt my toe!
Of how big they really were!

That much GONE... And I still have my normal size toenail! Very cool that!
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Did it hurt as the numbing stuff wore off -only about 10 minutes later?
Sort of. It felt like a darn painful ingrown toenail.

Does it hurt now? Nope, and I only feel it when I put shoes on.

They wrapped it up good (it looked like a fat lollipop); after applying a drain and a whole glob of gentamycin ointment.
I had to leave that all in place for two days, removing it to shower on the 2nd day, which was yesterday.
Then to put more antibiotic ointment on it and rewrap it every day.

I'd better close- High time for my shower -and a rewrapped lollipop!

My love to all.
Have a 'wunnaful' weekend!

XOXO
Me

HELP! Is anyone else having problems either with Yahoo mails etc, or with StraightTalk phones? Casey can text anyone, including her own gmail account, but I do not receive any of her texts at my Yahoo... She receives all my notes to her cell phone though. Any input greatly appreciated. XOXO, Me

Casey is OK, -for now...

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Good Morning All;

Yesterday (Wednesday, I think?- I am so tired, but can't sleep...) was such a trying day.
Bear with me on this entry...
I awoke at around 1AM- At 3 I realized I was out of cigarettes, so Punk and I went down the road to the local Kwik Trip.
Back here after chatting with the new night clerk for a bit, I tried to write a blog. Nothing would come out right, so I watched a bit of TV. Nothing on at that hour, unless I had a mind to be buying a whole truckload of crap they advertise that early in the morning. I didn't.

I knew I couldn't go back to sleep as I had to pick up Casey for 7, and be on the far east side of town by 7:30.
After that, to run downtown and get her some Tagaderm. (It is the only skin tape she is NOT allergic to).

By 10, I had to be on the far west side of town to see the podiatrist. (It is my turn to be getting everything fixed on this body of mine now). 
Know that my "toe" will be a blog of it's own. hehehe
Also know there will be pictures with that blog.  You HAVE been warned!

I dropped Casey off at her apartment after that, and headed home...
Casey followed shortly after me, and brought some sandwiches from the store for lunch.

We ate, and by 2 we were both incredibly tired, so she went up to lie down in my bed. (Punk cannot "do" the stairs for a while, so I am sentenced to the couch). Darn good thing it is comfy...

Casey had used the bathroom before she went upstairs; only to return in terrible pain- and also had clots of blood in her stools.
She had taken her enzymes with her food, and had taken a pain pill before she had eaten also. (It should have been working by then).
She laid down on the opposite couch.
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I checked her forehead- she felt so warm.
Her blood pressure- Almost 30% elevated for her, 128/86.
She was shaking badly from the pain.
Her heart~rate was 110, (way high for her too).

Between my toe and my back, I can barely walk. She could barely move to even breathe.  I decided to call the rescue squad.

The Suamico police were the first to arrive.

(I took these pictures after she had been stabilized a bit in the house, and they had gotten her outside).
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Casey had little strength of her own, no balance or power either, and got help to walk out.

..

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The 3 steps in the entrance proved impossible for her to navigate.

She was quickly and carefully picked up;
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laid on the stretcher,
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And very securely buckled in.
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I kissed her goodbye, telling her I would be to the hospital as soon as I could possibly be.

In the meanwhile Deputy Stahl had gotten hold of Randy for me.
(Sheesh, I have known Randy for a little over 10 years, do you think I could even remember his work number)???
Good grief!

When I got to the hospital, the doctor had ordered blood and urine tests, and also a belly Xray to try to find out what (the heck) was going on (now?)...
They had given her something for her nausea, and some morphine for the pain.

Greg got there shortly after I did. Having him there means the world to her- and he had almost been done with his workday when she had texted him.
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We do not know much of anything more at this point... She had a full tummy (Some, if not most, of which sure should have been gone by then).
She was sent home.

She has to report to the clinic this morning- She will call me when she wakes to bring her in.
Maybe I can get a bit more shuteye before then.


Leaving Casey and Greg at the hospital, I was back home a little after 6:30.

I had left Punk at home when I had driven to the hospital- (Kelli immediately offering to stop by, to feed her, and to let her out for me).
Punk was (and is always) so happy to have me come home... 
After she welcomed me back, she then ran to the other side of the car, sniffing all the way- She returned to me.
No Casey?

Spying Casey's car, she then went to her car and sniffed all the way around that one too.
No Casey?

When this pup and I got back inside the house, she promptly went up the steps to see if maybe Casey had been in bed. (I could not have stopped that dog from going up those stairs had my life depended on it).

No Casey anywhere?

I napped a bit on the couch then-
Casey called to say that while she was being transported in, they had checked her blood sugar- It was at 63.
Knowing that, I am even more glad I called 911 now.
 
I slept real good for about 2 hours.

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Punk was, (and still is), sleeping tight next to Casey's backpack, which had been left here in all the commotion...

She sure loves "her" Casey.   As do I.

Love to all.

XOXO
Me

SissieKrissiePoo, KC, and "Momma~Donna" too!

hehehe
Cartoon from here.

Good Morning Everyone!
I am reading that you all have had a "wunnaful" Easter weekend! I even got a card in the mailbox! (Snail mail, not the inbox).

This card and letter from my birthmother- She is so good at writing letters and such.
I once was also, but when my hands went kaplooey that all stopped.
Casey and Greg had stopped in to see (birthmother) Donna and (her husband), Bob while they were in Milwaukee last month...

Donna and Bob will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on the 23rd. (It does my heart good to see real marriages last this long; through the good and the bad, and everything in~between.
They can still laugh together. (That says it all about happy marriages)!

Since I don't think I ever did post the pictures that Casey took while they were there, here they are now...
Gosh I have a crappy memory lately...
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Bob. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Madonna

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And all together now...
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Donna and Bob own a tavern down in Milwaukee-  Each year for St Patrick's Day she makes 60 pounds of corned beef. (Each year she says "never again" and then makes it anyway).
They rarely, if ever, have any leftovers either! Yummy!
My sister, DeeDee, runs the bar- Money for her, (she's the one that lost her husband in 2008 to cancer).
Donna and Bob have 3 daughters. Kathy, DeeDee, and Shari.
Donna, having been married once before, also had a daughter, Patty, who died in 1976.
My sister Kris and I were the 2 given up for adoption.

This is SissyKrissiePoo!

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...as she got here last week to clean the gravel out of the lawns.
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Casey came out also; pointing to a hornet up on the house
(Which did not show up in the pic).
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Punk said she'd help too.
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As long as she didn't have to lift a paw. She was dubbed the "supervisor"... hehehe
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hehehe
Claims she had to supervise because of a hairline fracture in her shoulder..
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Kris and I. We don't share fathers, yet there are many times we look alike.
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Kris and Casey!
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Kris, and a ton of gravel -by the old stump.
*Thank you SO much Kris! For doing it all! *
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Vole runs...
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We had gone down to Kelli's and had stolen her trailer back again...
This worked much better than my decrepit wheelbarrow.

Besides, Punk can't ride in the wheelbarrow.
Hmmm   What about that shoulder?!?!
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hehehe
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Then they all took a well deserved break!
Kris treated us to lunch from Krolls West.    YUM!
If you are ever in Green Bay, you have to eat here just once. 
I guarantee you will want to go back.
Check out the autographed celebrity tiles on the walls too while you are there!
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It was in the 70's that day-
Today it is raining and gloomy- a candle kind of day. But oh, how we need the rain!

I have much running around to do today, and will try to get all my errands done before I go back to the 'toe' doctor tomorrow. YIKES!

I had given Kris a book, (which she forgot to take with her when she left). I will mail that out today. A few other stops too,. First will be to make my vote count.

Casey has an appointment for another UTI.
I'm beginning to think she will never be rid of those... She drinks lots of water, juices, etc, so everything should be working all right.
Perhaps it has something to do with her missing spleen?
Hmmm...

I'd better close and get on with my day.

Hope all is well in your little corner of the world?
Have a happy day!

XOXO
Me


PS
Besides a mole wanting to be inside, there is a difference between a mole and a vole... CLICK

Methinks I do not like either one.

No, I am not holding this critter!  
Pics from here

Not your typical explanation of Easter...

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

Thank you Aunt Marlene!




*****
Three blondes died and found themselves standing before St. Peter He told them that before they could enter the Kingdom of Heaven, they had to tell him what Easter was.

The first blonde said, "Easter is the holiday where they have a big feast, give thanks and eat turkey."
St. Peter rolled his eyes, said, "Blondes,"and banished her to Hell.

The second blonde said, "Easter is when we celebrate the birth of Jesus and exchange gifts."
St. Peter said, "Wrong," and he banished her to Hell.

St. Peter looked at the third blonde and said, "OK  .. tell me."
She said, "Easter is a Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish festival of Passover. Jesus was having Passover feast with His disciples when he was betrayed by Judas, and the Romans arrested him. The Romans hung Him on the cross and eventually He died. Then they buried Him in a tomb behind a very large boulder."
St. Peter was impressed. "Verrrrry good!!!" he said.
The blonde continued, "Now every year, they roll away the boulder, and Jesus comes out. If he sees his shadow, we have six more weeks of basketball."
hehehe

Love to all!

XOXO
Me

Pedophiles; and Catholic Priests

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20100401/APC0101/4010583/1979/APClife

Menasha's Daniel R. Callan, a former teacher at St. Bernadette Elementary School in Appleton, is sentenced to 17 years for child molestation

(Do the click above for that story).
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Image from here
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While I do know that the vast majority of Catholic priests are decent men, I am thinking that perhaps that man should have been a Catholic Priest.
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Image from here
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In a nauseating twist of events, some of those priests are just being reinstated-
Perhaps in a church near your kids.

March 31, 2010 

While the Roman Catholic sexual abuse scandal unfolds in Europe, the Catholic Church in the U.S. is under renewed scrutiny.

In the wake of its own scandal almost a decade ago, the U.S. church says it has reformed its policies for handling sexual abuse allegations and will remove from ministry every priest who is credibly accused of abuse.

But some of those priests are now being quietly reinstated. Read More...

***
How sick are all these stories? They have made the rounds for many years now- With each new story comes a deepening sickness in the pit of our souls.

I was born and raised Roman Catholic. (I even remember the Latin High Masses). While our Father M. Fetko was very very strange man, scary too, I don't think he was a pedophile. He was just a lunatic priest.

For many reasons I disassociated myself from the Catholic Church. To name a few:

• I say my little prayers.
• I do believe that much of which is in The Bible are true accountings.
• I do not believe that the pope is infallible.
• I do not believe I need to confess my sins to another mere mortal, unless I want to.
• I can say nothing more in church than I can say at the side of my bed each night.
• I do not believe that ANY baby is born with sin or in shame.
• I DO believe that many people have more faith in their little finger than they are ever given credit for.

Ultimately, I lost a ton of respect for "the church" when they refused to baptize my CaseyAnne because her parents were not married.
... 'Sins of the fathers' and all that noisy crap. 
In the end, Casey was baptized Catholic at a church in Green Bay.
One of my neighbors has 2 mixed~race children (aren't we all?). Sts Edward and Isisdore also refused to baptize her babies.

Much like myself, we do consider ourselves 'Christian', with open hearts and open arms toward all religions.

But those same arms would never embrace all the cover up stories the church has been telling.

XOXO
Me

The Moon and The MRI

-Full Worm Moon- click for more full moons

Good Morning Everyone!
An already warm enough morning here- The above picture of the moon over the treeline was snapped when I went out to get my little dumpster out to the road. I thought is was very pretty...

Now, on to even more very very "pretty" ...

... Keeping in mind that beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
(You have been warned)!



hehehe


I had another MRI yesterday. (I will not have the results until next week).
But I can sure tell you what this one was all about...
My appointment was at 8:15-  Casey came along, as I take diazepam before I go in for my anxiety. Not a good thing to be driving around high as a kite. 

Upon arrival I was given a questionnaire of everything from soup to nuts. (No soup, and no nuts).
They even ask what kind of music you want to listen to. The MRI machine is very noisy with its thumping and clunking and whirring. (Know that the headphones do not drown out those noises).
I was taken to the changing room, (pictured above). 
I could keep my shirt on, minus the bra as it has metal in the clasps. My socks~n~undies also stayed on.
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These taken on the outside- The 1st pic is on the floor, the 2nd on the door.

And on into the room.
The room is quite large due to the size of the machinery...
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That doughnut hole is where I get slid in.
Darn good thing I can add a bit of self relaxation to the pill I'd taken.
(And a dry washcloth over my eyes too, to darken it even more).

Then came an hour and a half of laying flat on my back. (For me, this is the hardest part).
It is also why I feel so "out of alignment" today- (I'll simplify that- it hurts like hell).


And life goes on...

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Do you ever wonder what Punks face looks like after she does this?
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Wonder no more!
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hehehe  It's either digging, or she has black rouge.
Sorry I wasn't closer.
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As for the dark make up, the cat needs none!
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He waits to see that feral cat that lurks about.
Lordy, that'll be a godawful noise if they ever do 'meet'...

I'd better close for now-
Kris has just called and is on her way to help get the lawns taken care of. Casey will be coming out a bit later to help also!

Hope you enjoyed my 2nd MRI - (And I hope you enjoyed it more than I did too). hehehe 
At least now you know you have nothing to fear if you ever need one.

Have a 'wunnaful' Wednesday! My love to all!

XOXO
Me

FBI Arrests Three in Raids on Militias - CBS News

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/28/national/main6342204.shtml?tag=stack
Good Lord, now I can't even remember where I got this link from?
My apologies- If you are that person, please step up.
My thanks to you.


ADRIAN, Mich., March 28, 2010

FBI Arrests Three in Raids on Militias

Official Says Suspects Face Gun Charges after Raids in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana

(AP)  The FBI said Sunday that agents conducted weekend raids in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio and arrested at least three people, and a militia leader in Michigan said the target of at least one of the raids was a Christian militia group.

Federal warrants were sealed, but a federal law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity said some of those arrested face gun charges and officials are pursuing other suspects.

FBI spokeswoman Sandra Berchtold said there had been activity in two southeast Michigan counties near the Ohio state line. She wouldn't say whether they were tied to the raids in the other states.

FBI spokesman Scott Wilson in Cleveland said agents arrested two people Saturday after raids in two Ohio towns. A third arrest made in northeast Illinois on Sunday stemmed from a raid Saturday just over the border in northwest Indiana, both part of an ongoing investigation led by the FBI in Michigan, according to a statement from agents in Illinois.

George Ponce, 18, who works at a pizzeria next door to a home raided in Hammond, Ind., said he and a few co-workers stepped outside for a break Saturday night and saw a swarm of law enforcement.

"I heard a yell, 'Get back inside!' and saw a squad member pointing a rifle at us," Ponce said. "They told us the bomb squad was going in, sweeping the house looking for bombs."

He said another agent was in the bushes near the house, and law enforcement vehicles were "all over." He estimated that agents took more than two dozen guns from the house.

Michael Lackomar, a spokesman for the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia, said one of his team leaders got a frantic phone call Saturday evening from members of Hutaree, a Christian militia group, who said their property in southwest Michigan was being raided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

"They said they were under attack by the ATF and wanted a place to hide," Lackomar said. "My team leader said, 'no thanks.' "

The team leader was cooperating with the FBI on Sunday, Lackomar said. He said SMVM wasn't affiliated with Hutaree, which states on its Web site to be "prepared to defend all those who belong to Christ and save those who aren't."

"We believe that one day, as prophecy says, there will be an Anti-Christ," the group's Web site said. "Jesus wanted us to be ready to defend ourselves using the sword and stay alive using equipment.

An e-mail sent to the group by The Associated Press wasn't returned Sunday, and phone numbers for the group's leadership were not immediately available. Berchtold, the FBI spokeswoman in Michigan, said she couldn't confirm if the raids were connected to Hutaree.

Lackomar said none of the raids focused on his group. Lackomar said about eight to 10 members of Hutaree trained with SMVM twice in the past three years. SMVM holds monthly training sessions focusing on survival training and shooting practice, Lackomar said.

In Michigan, police swarmed a rural, wooded property around 7 p.m. Saturday outside Adrian, about 70 miles southwest of Detroit, said Evelyn Reitz, who lives about a half-mile away. She said several police cars, with lights flashing, were still there Sunday evening and 15 to 20 officers were stationed in the area.

Neighbor Jane Cattell said she came home from the movies Saturday night and a helicopter was circling above, its spotlight illuminating her house. She and her sister, Sarah Holtz, wouldn't say who lived in the home but said they knew them from riding their horses past their house.

"They're your average, nice neighbors," Holtz said.

There were rumors about ties to a militia, but Holtz she knew nothing of that from her interaction with them.

One of the raids in Ohio occurred at Bayshore Estates, a trailer park in Sandusky, a small city on Lake Erie between Toledo and Cleveland, park manager Terry Mills said. Authorities blocked off the street for about an hour Saturday night, he said.

"Needless to say, this has everyone talking," said Mills, 62. "We have a lot of retirees here who don't want all this commotion."

Mills said he didn't know the identity of the person arrested.

FBI agents in Ohio also made an arrest in Huron on Saturday night, Wilson said. No further information would be released until after they appeared in court Monday, he said.

*****

Click below for more militant stories...

• Militias Regrouping in U.S.
  

  • Bad Economy, Black President Among Causes for Recent Rise, Group Says; "All It's Lacking Is a Spark," Official Says...

• "Fringe Group" Controlling GOP 
  

  • Obama's Chief of Staff Talks Tea Party, Health Care Reform, and Midterm Elections with Katie Couric on 60 Minutes...

  *****

From the first paragraph, what exactly is a "Christian Militia Group"?
  Is this cause for concern?
  Will this get much worse before it gets better?
  Or is it true that a little knowledge a bad thing?
 
  XOXO
  Me

Photo Caption reads: "This file photo shows the Alfred Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City after truck bombing, April 19, 1995. According to a Southern Poverty Law Center report, the U.S. is seeing the largest rise in militia groups since the 1990s."