Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums Topic: Possible success, but repercussions linger...

buggblues on "Possible success, but repercussions linger..."

buggblues — Sat, 09 May 2009 23:57:29 +0000

Absurdity 101, i live in dc and am fighting the good fight.. i am glad you are safe... exhale...

bedbugvictimperthaustralia on "Possible success, but repercussions linger..."

bedbugvictimperthaustralia — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 02:37:12 +0000

This reads just like my story! 28, low salary job, infestation in my room and not my housemate who thought I was crazy, complete lack of sleep making it hard to think properly or plan ahead, culminating in a move back to my parent's couch for a couple of weeks which I swore I'd never do and they'll never let me forget, and trepidation in finding a new place that would be bug free. Except then the similarities end, because I picked an apartment, moved in, and after a few months rebuilding old friendships (some people are still too scared to come over), everything here is okay. I never brought a bug along with me, same as you. So, if I can do it, you can succeed too. Just check everything carefully and if the place looks good then you're probably okay. It's worth going for it. The worst you can lose is your sanity, and who needs it?

Absurdity101 on "Possible success, but repercussions linger..."

Absurdity101 — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:53:24 +0000

You're right, I am very lucky and I do realize it. Had I not had my parents house as an option, this whole ordeal would have been a lot harder. But at the same time, the bedbugs kind of forced me into regression mode. As great as it is to have the opportunity to save money, I was content doing my own thing before all of this mess. I had a place to live I could afford, roommates I liked, etc. Hey, I know I've had it easy, though.

fightorflight on "Possible success, but repercussions linger..."

fightorflight — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:38:35 +0000

I understand everything you say. That said, I don't know if you understand how lucky you are. Many cultural flags tell you that it is wrong to be living with your parents at your age. Ignore those flags - they are the same ones that told everyone the housing bubble would go on forever and the stock market could never end up in the situation it is now. You have the extremely good fortune of being able to live - rent free! - with your parents, something that's not even an option for most of us (uh, no parents alive in my case). Use this good fortune to save money, something you can't do when you're laid off, have medical expenses or loved ones with medical expenses, etc. Forget what society and culture dictate - which is false - and focus on what's best for you. Maybe save the downpayment to buy a single family dwelling. This is an opportunity most of us don't have. Use it.

Absurdity101 on "Possible success, but repercussions linger..."

Absurdity101 — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 21:07:18 +0000

Just wanted to share my story... I dealt with bedbugs for about 3 months this summer. I really lost it in ways I'm not proud of...I wish I had been stronger about it. Looking back, I think the lack of sleep really exaggerated all of my crazy emotions. I ended up moving out of my apartment in D.C., which I shared with three roommates who I loved. They never had seen or experienced the bedbugs in their rooms -- the infestation had been centered in my room -- so they pretty much thought I was crazy. I ditched about 90 percent of my furniture and belongings and moved in with my parents, which isn't the best at age 28. The living with parents thing was supposed to be very temporary, but it's lasted longer than I anticipated. And I never saw myself doing this at this age -- I always swore I could never live back at home. But my housing options are fairly limited in D.C. due to a low salary, and I've found it a relief to be able to save up some money for a change (my parents thankfully have not charged me rent). But obviously the situation needs to change soon. I'll say that I've been scared off from many places in my price range due to the potential threat of bedbugs. For instance, I saw an apartment just today in a rent-control building and really liked it...but I took it upon myself to knock on the door of another tenant. We chatted some, and I finally got around to the "Have you ever had any bedbug problems here?" question. She said some units in the buildings had dealt with the problem a couple years ago. That might be enough to keep me away...I can't imagine going through that mess again. I guess my message here is kind of bittersweet. I'm not dealing with bedbugs in any way these days, and that's wonderful. It's such a relief to have that behind me. I was very lucky to have my parents' house as an option, and also lucky to have not brought them with me here. But six months later, and I can say that I'm definitely still feeling the effects of the bedbugs. They were definitely extremely disruptive to my life and kind of put me off track. I'm feeling some extra confusion these days as a direct result of what I went through this summer. But I'm hoping to somehow channel these changes in my life into something positive.