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A letter of explanation and help?

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Getting help fron the government?

paulaw0919

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Posted 5 years ago
Sat Oct 27 2007 11:09:00
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As I'm cleaning today, I am in tears in what my home used to be like. I am putting back together picture frames and rolling the back of them with a pet roller from much of the dust left over from my DE application the other day. I'm in tears that life will never be the same, that I fear every item in my home. My daughter woke before me this morning and I was so scared that she actually came into my bedroom.
(Yes I'm seeing my therapist today @ 1pm but I fear she will try and put me in some sort of denial)
Anyway, I was thinking of writing a long descriptive letter of my experience, what it did to our family and the perminant damage it has caused mentally, emotionally and finacially. About how this is the 21st century and how can people possibley live in constant fear like this? How can we possibly throw out all our belongings every year o to infestations? How can we save for our retirement when we are constantly spending every penny we have fighting bugs that thrive on you while you sleep? I was thinking of mail-merging it to the president, congressmen, all the state senate, health dept, everyone I can get an address from. Do you think this is a waste of time, would it do any good? (maybe for my mental state only I guess)
pleasehelp

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Posted 5 years ago
Sat Oct 27 2007 11:41:17
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Paulaw, I think that is a fantastic idea... and maybe we could get the attention of a network tv magazine show like 20/20. I think this is the type of story they'd be interested in.
cantdealanymore

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Posted 5 years ago
Sat Oct 27 2007 14:32:47
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Paula, I wonder this on a daily basis. I wonder what people think when I pull out my wallet and it is a ziploc bag (my old one had too many folds and pockets for my liking). Every Saturday I set out to put my home back together, yet today I sit, STARING at the plastic bagged maze that is my apt; my beautiful wardrobe that has been destroyed and hidden away in bags because of excessive washing. I keep saying today is the day I will take my life back. And I am incredibly angry that something like this has reduced me, my savings, and my life to a pile of rubble and anxiety. I broke down at work yesterday, and I am NOT that girl! That is why we have eachother -- the people here, and I agree with you that awareness is key. How do we get our message out there? My small part has been attempting to educate my friends on the dangers of street furniture, passing this site on to people who's buildings have been invaded. Talk to your therapist and talk to us:) The girl who turned me onto this site keeps reminding me that this too shall pass. And I had a moment while I was writing back to a fellow bedbugger where i got my strength back to fight. I have to believe that this is a trial to remind us that we are strong, that that which does not kill us, blah blah. The lowest points of my life have been in the past few months, and I have to believe that it is for something. Please hang in there. the depression and fear that this experience causes makes it seem insurmountable, as we are all drained and defeated we expend so much energy on this. It is worthwhile energy, continue to fight. We are all here to help and support you.
Nobugsonme

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Posted 5 years ago
Sat Oct 27 2007 14:47:07
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Paula,

It would be a great idea if everyone would write such a letter and mail it as you describe to government representatives, health department, city officials, but also to local newspapers, magazines, and TV news reporters (on the consumer affairs beat, maybe?)

I would be happy to post such messages in a special section of the site, with names or without, if people wish (of course, I would remove address, phone, etc.) Having these testimonials in one place might help us get the message across.
chrismarker

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Posted 5 years ago
Sat Oct 27 2007 16:24:41
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I think some kind of open letter to congresspeople, NYC city council, etc could prove very effective. The problem is some people are unwilling to admit they have bedbugs for fear of social stigma... when I told a friend I had them, she literally edged away from me and said, "are they contagious???". which of course I can understand..... that's the problem, bedbugs affects every relationship you have...
when a colleague told us at dinner that she recently got bedbugs, I literally scooted my chair away from her. I wanted to punch myself in the face afterward, how could I have been so rude and insensitive when I was so offended that someone reacted the same way to me?
Part of the problems is that the "research" and "M.O." of bedbugs is so sketchy. We all know you have to share towels to get scabies; you have to walk barefoot at the gym to get athlete's foot; that we all have to have sex with someone to get crabs; but where do we draw the line for bedbugs? Why the F--- did I have to wash every single f_____ piece of clothing I own when I found the bedbugs in my bedroom (no where near my closet)? Why do they say to steam your leather purses?? Where are the limits? So was I right in scooting my chair away from my colleague when she said she's suffering from bedbugs? Could I have caught them from her by sitting next to her at dinner? This is driving me nuts.

That, I think, is the main problem: there is no clear cut explanation for how infestations can spread, apart from the usual luggage, hotels, and infested apartments giving them to neighbors. How careful do we have to be?
nomorebugs

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Posted 5 years ago
Sat Oct 27 2007 17:56:50
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I think you should write and let people know bed bugs will be the pest of the 21 century. While bed bugs do not spread disease, they do cause a big economical and social impact. Perhaps government can allocate more funding into beg bug traps for detection. Just knowing if you have them and during treatment is so difficult at times. New pesticides that can kill those tiny eggs. Making treatment more easy. We need to get them back to post WWII levels where they are almost unknown in our world.

The PCOs will learn that it's a growth business and invest in better protocols and more bed bug sniffing dogs. In the UK, there's a company that specializes in bed bugs. In the US, many PCO's seem a bit clueless.
paulaw0919

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Posted 5 years ago
Sun Oct 28 2007 8:55:27
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I think I'm going to start to write "my story" and how fast this thing is spreading. It may take a few weeks to complete due to my everyday life with the little ones, kiieping up on the house, therapy and all.
Well, Nobugs, when it's done, I'll send you a copy and you can give me your opinion. I'm partly doing this to clear my head as well. (maybe a little self therapy) so I warn that it will detail what we went thru, what the PCOs told and didn't tell me, what lack of info there is, research I did find, and what we are now goign thru in trying to just function and live in our own home now because of this. It's insane really...how can someone NOT fear the world after having to live like a ghost and be so obsessive in finding signs for so long...