Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Free for all
I NEED A RAINBOW.
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hopelessinphx
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Joined: Mar '11
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Posted 2 years ago
Sat Mar 19 2011 9:49:49
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First of all I need to explain my situation. I am 25, and living with my mother, and our dog, who just had 4 puppies yesterday. My mother was homeless for the 12 years and still has a "ghetto" habit of bringing STUPID things home... Someone threw some furniture away, and my brilliant mother who is a born again Christian thought "Oh thank you, Lord" and brought it home, 2 days later I was bitten for the first time... I have had over 70 bites, it has been 5 weeks... Our apartment complex does not have washer-dryer hook-ups, so we have to use a shared laundry room. I was (in daylight) able to catch about 8 of them in a jar. I couldn't stop scratching my bites. I took my RED body and my jar of friends to the doctor, got medication for itch, and secondary infection (from scratching).
It was reported to the apartment complex by my mother (who had not been bitten yet, but only recently has been) and they have not done anything to help. They have given us a huge list of things that we have to do before they will call an exterminator.
Why won't they spray before this stuff we are supposed to do anyway? We have too much laundry to do, their machines do not get very hot, nor does the water in our apartment. Going up and down the stairs to run laundry even before this ordeal has been exhausting. It will take a long time to accomplish and everything on the list, not to mention the out-of-pocket costs that the list demands for. I would think that they would call an exterminator to come out NOW for the first treatment in order to prevent it from further spreading thoughout the complex.
Now not only do I feel like sleeping on the dining room table, but I am also worried sick about the new puppies our Dog just delivered. And I'm afraid of treatment having effects on them. AND on top of all this misery.. Since my mother has only been bitten once on her elbow, I feel as though she does not care about pressing towards the complex doing something with the haste that I feel is necessary.
I have considered suicide because of this. There are of course many other issues, like failed relationships after putting my life and education on hold for guys. As I mentioned before, my mother was homeless for over a decade, during my teens, up until a couple years ago. Everything wrong seems to always happen to me.
These BED BUGS seem to be the crap sprinkles on the turd iced, diarrhea frosted shit cake that been my life so far. And perhaps even worse - I cannot shake the feeling that IF I live through this, my mother will not stop bringing JUNK home, and re-infesting us.
I NEED A RAINBOW RIGHT EFFING NOW. SOMEONE JUST TELL ME YOU LOVE ME PLOX.
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senior member
Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 630offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Mar 19 2011 10:22:33
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You are loved and things will get better.
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heritchyness
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Joined: Feb '11
Posts: 30offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Mar 19 2011 10:25:50
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Oh Sweetie, I am so sorry. I know it all seems hopeless right now, but if you keep putting one foot in front of the other things will get better. Is it your apartment, or is your Mom on the lease too? Can she be held accountable in any way for bringing stuff home? I would think that sitting down and making a pact to not let this happen again will help you get through all of the work in front of you. I found this link very very helpful:
http://bedbugger.com/links/
particularly the University of Florida PDF. There might be something in there that will help you. Good luck! -
hopelessinphx
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Joined: Mar '11
Posts: 6offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Mar 19 2011 10:28:35
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ty.. I need to take a nap now... : / but I'm scared to though... they seem to be much more interested in me than my mom... we do have different blood types.. I wonder if that has anything to do with it? I've been sleeping in her bed like a big dumb baby lately... LOL but they still eat me and not her. She has RH Negative blood, and mine is O Positive...
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senior member
Joined: Sep '08
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Posted 2 years ago
Sat Mar 19 2011 10:35:28
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She probably just doesn't show bites, as somewhere near half of us don't. Get some rest and good luck.
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so unsettling
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Joined: Oct '10
Posts: 456offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Mar 19 2011 10:46:17
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First of all, I am very sorry for your entire situation. If you have had thoughts of suicide, it is best to seek counseling. Secondly, I am assuming the bugs you found are bed bugs--have you had them confirmed, or do you have pictures?
The long list of things you have to do before treatment is, unfortunately, difficult to accomplish but necessary. In order for inspection and treatment to be effective, PCOS have to have access to cleared areas, and have to know that any bugs have been eliminated from clothing and other washable items. I know the laundry is a nightmare, but this is a situation which calls for extreme measures. Many here live in apartments and use shared laundry rooms, and in the early days of bedbug treatment laundry has taken over our lives. That is ALL I had time to do in the beginning--laundering, drying, and sealing in bags. Once sealed, I left them that way throughout all the treatments; otherwise, I would have had to go thru this over and over each time. So ideally it is really only ONCE that it is this hard--later you wil develop a routine that is easier. You mentioned that the water doesn't get hot, but what about the dryer? It is really the hot dryer process that kills any bugs that may have latched onto clothing.
I should mention that another reason to wash, dry, and bag, is to clear clutter out of closets and dressers. This process forces you to organize materials that will otherwise be in the way when the PCO tries to treat. Laundry was the main thing on my list, but there were others--pulling furniture away from walls, and just generally getting stuff off the floor and off the walls (pictures, etc.) For me it was a big effort in the beginning (and, yes, expensive) and thru each treatment I had more and more areas cleared to the point where the PCO could get at anything if he deemed it necessary.
Try to take it all one day at a time and do what you can each day towards the goal of checking things off on your list. Everyone here has been there, done that, so remember that you are not alone and the people here are wonderful and will understand and help you.
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,727offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Mar 19 2011 14:30:40
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Hi hope (I just can't bring myself to call you hopeless),
If you are feeling suicidal: please read this thread. If you feel like you might harm yourself, go to an ER or otherwise seek medical assistance immediately. This thread also contains information on hotlines which may help if you need someone to talk to. Others have also found therapy helpful to deal with anxiety/stress or depression related to bed bugs.
I am sorry you are dealing with bed bugs, but you will get through this.
Keep in mind your mother is most likely also being bitten, she just hasn't reacted (she may in time, or not). Knowing this may make the problem seem more real to her. It can be hard to get people who don't react to take this seriously.
If you are going to live with your mother, you need to get her on board with preventive measures for not reinfesting the home, like not picking up street finds.
This may help streamline your prep: If you're being told to wash, dry and bag clothing, remember that already-clean clothing can simply be dried on hot only. It does not need to be washed first if it is clean, because the hot drier will kill the bed bugs and eggs. Dry, clean items only need to be dried on hot for 20-30 minutes unless you're dealing with something thicker than normal clothing.
You will get through this.
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Koebner
senior member
Joined: Aug '10
Posts: 665offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sun Mar 20 2011 9:51:53
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I'm a Brit & we've never been formally introduced. The reqOn dogs - call the PC & ask exactly what they will be using. Make a note of it. Explain the age of the pups & that the dam is nursing. Ask how long they will need to be out of the house. If you have any qualms, contact your vet, tell them exactly what products will be used in your home & ask about implications for the dam & her pups.
If you're using a wooden whelping box or a wicker basket, I'd suggest throwing that out straight after treatment as well as having fresh bedding ready for the dogs (even if it's brand-new, make sure to give it an anti-BB laundering; for one thing it will give you peace of mind, for another, some surfacing treatments, even on pet bedding, can be irritating on pup's little pink stomachs).
A solid plastic bed shell is easier to inspect for BBs, as well as being easier to treat should fleas ever become an issue. I bought my cats a stack of cheap fleece blankets for their baskets - the labels all say to wash them at low temps, but they've survived repeated hot washes & hot dryings with no ill effects. I don't kow if VetBed is available in the USA but that put up with anti-BB laundry measures pretty well & offers more padding for the pups without as much risk of them getting caught up in blankets.
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Koebner
senior member
Joined: Aug '10
Posts: 665offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sun Mar 20 2011 10:01:23
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Dammit - cat danced on keyboard, erased part of the opening & sent the message before I could haul his big, ginger paws out of the way.
That should have begun -
"I'm a Brit & we've never been formally introduced. The request for assertions of love, is therefore, blush-makingly impossible for me to fulfil. However - [...]"Sorry about that.
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hopelessinphx
newbite
Joined: Mar '11
Posts: 6offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Mar 25 2011 7:36:23
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thank you guys for your help and encouragement! most of our laundry is done now, for two people, we sure have alot of it >.< part of me thinks that this is some kind of sign that we need to move on from our old ways, and de-clutter our lives. Prior to moving in with my mom, I had always kept personal belongings at a minimum, anytime I bought something new, I threw away something old. I got comfortable, and started to let that slip, and now I have so much crap.. like all the nail polish and girly things I have.. which I guess would be the dresser-top clutter I need to do something with... could I just put all that stuff in the bathtub? Maybe run water over it and bag it? I'm going to throw my bed away. I can't even bare to look at it. I'm just afraid someone else will pick it up and take the problem home with them. I don't have vehicle that I could use to take it to the dump : /
Next week is going to be the first treatment. I do hope that these companies are doing all they can, and not doing half-assed jobs so they can rake in profits...
I read somewhere that DDT is what people used to use to kill them, but it was illegalized. Why would people do that? I think there needs to be some sort of petition or something to re-legalize it.. PRONTO.
And yes they are bedbugs, they are amber bugs, flat top to bottom, and round they look like sort of like EVIL potato bugs { : (
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hopelessinphx
newbite
Joined: Mar '11
Posts: 6offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Mar 25 2011 7:40:59
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Nobugsonme - 5 days ago »
This may help streamline your prep:[/b] If you're being told to wash, dry and bag clothing, remember that already-clean clothing can simply be dried on hot only. It does not need to be washed first if it is clean, because the hot drier will kill the bed bugs and eggs. Dry, clean items only need to be dried on hot for 20-30 minutes unless you're dealing with something thicker than normal clothing.
You will get through this.Thank you sooooo much, that's definately going to help with the stuff hanging in the closets still!!
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hopelessinphx
newbite
Joined: Mar '11
Posts: 6offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Mar 25 2011 7:50:10
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afterthought: I think I will spray paint the bed with the word "INFESTED" before I throw it out!
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Koebner
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Joined: Aug '10
Posts: 665offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Mar 25 2011 7:57:25
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DDT doesn't work on bed bugs. They became reistant to it decades before it was made illegal.
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cilecto
oldtimer
Joined: Aug '08
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Posted 2 years ago
Fri Mar 25 2011 8:16:52
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Your bed can be treated, mattress/box can be wrapped. If you're staying put, not every last item (like your nail polish bottles) needs to be treated. In case there are bugs hidden (say, under a cap), they will eventually cross poison and die.
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