Only "those people" get those! OMG! How in the world did we get bed bugs? No vacation this year. How gross! How dirty! How just UGH! My hubby grabbed a flashlight and started his examination. Our $1600.00 couch. Our first couch purchased from a furniture store. I can not properly write how this makes one feel.
We looked up bites. Remember that allergic reaction? Nope. Bed bug bites! DAMN! We sceeved out. We didn't know what to do. Plan to make a call to the exterminator in the morning.
Bedtime. I can honestly admit to sleeping maybe 3 1/2 hrs tops. Just thinking about them made me ill. Knowing that they were biting me! Seriously?! Me! Why me?
Hubby called the exterminator. Confirmation. We have bed bugs! OMG! This only happens to "those people". I clean. I sweep. We are not dirty. Why?
A complete and thorough inspection is needed. Manned with flashlights and gloves, we went in. We were instructed that the beds needed torn apart. Inspect furniture cushions. Detachable legs. Curtains. Behind pictures. Basically everywhere. We are thankful that we live in a small home. I would not want to deal with this in a large house. Can't imagine two or more floors.
Playroom. Check. Daughters room. Check. Sons room. Check. Laundry room. Check. Our bedroom. Check. Bathroom. Check. Living room. Check.
It was explained to us that these bug pick one individual and "feed" off of them. Where they go. Eventually the bugs will go. Guess who the lucky "buffet" is? Me. Only me. The one that goes everywhere. Touches all the laundry. Cleans every thing. I could easily carry them everywhere. Drop an egg here or there.
Our huge and expensive living room furniture seems to be the "home" for them. I sit there are night after the family goes to sleep. I know. I know. Didn't you see them on you? Didn't you feel them on you? They are almost translucent when they "hatch". So no, I did not see them. I told my husband several times, in the previous weeks, that when I sat on the couch it felt like things were crawling on me. He thought I was nuts. Now we know that I wasn't. We thought it was the chemicals.
I sat on the couch and folded clothes. OMG! Every ones clothes could be affected. NO!
We received our instructions from the exterminators. Clothing. Bedding. Curtains. Remove them all. They must be washed in a commercial washer and dryer. Your home washer and dryer do not reach the level of heat necessary to kill the buggers.
We had a few days before they were coming. I cannot explain how much none of us wanted to stay in this house! We continued to monitor the situation. Avoiding that room like the plague. At first we were gonna tell no one. Then I came to the realization that my parents needed told. My dad comes over at least once a week and sits on that particular couch. The thought of passing those things on just _________________.
Then you start where did we get them? Most people think you get them from hotels and on trips. We hadn't done any of that. We called the exterminator. They explained just how easy they are to bring home. Do you go to the movies? Yep, you can get them from the seats. Do you try on clothes in a store? Yep, you can get them from the person before you. Do you do yard sales or previously owned stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.)? Yep, you can get them from there. Does your spouse travel? Yep, you can get them from there. Does your spouse work in various locations? Yep, you can get them from there.
A single egg is all that is needed to start. A single adult or juvenile is all that is needed to start. We learned that 1 in 5 houses has them. Most unaware they are there. Most unaware they are there until a major infestation is detected. We felt defeated. There were UGHS. There were WHY? There were WHATS from others. There were "did you bring them to our houses?" Like we know that? We didn't know we had them!
I know this post is scattered. That is how we felt. That is how our home was.
"Those people" .... part 3 tomorrow. I will be sharing pics. They may be gross to some!
