i just caught another live bedbug, the second one this week. i went into the bathroom and there he was, hiding in the window sill. i've gotten quite good at detecting that flat, round dark speck in places where there wasn't one before.
curiously, however, i haven't had a giant itchy red welt in a couple of days. i would have believed myself to be on the path to freedom, if i hadn't just caught this lousy little fucker tonight.
sample specimen #4: 28 Feb 2009.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
uh oh.
when i left the apartment today, there was a bookshelf in the hallway with a note on it saying "may have bedbugs" (and a corresponding sad face).
i don't know who put it there, but i know it wasn't me...which means someone else on my floor suspects bedbugs in their apartment.
while it's almost reassuring to know i'm not alone, it super double sucks that the possibly-infested bookshelf was sitting right outside my apartment door. might as well roll out a welcome mat that says "hey guys, come on in! your friends are already here!"
i don't know who put it there, but i know it wasn't me...which means someone else on my floor suspects bedbugs in their apartment.
while it's almost reassuring to know i'm not alone, it super double sucks that the possibly-infested bookshelf was sitting right outside my apartment door. might as well roll out a welcome mat that says "hey guys, come on in! your friends are already here!"
Saturday, February 21, 2009
4 more doubles, 2 more triples, 4 more bites
Another day at the laundromat. This time I didn't rush over her, figuring I'd let the morning folks finish up first. It worked. There's only liky 10 people here total and I have my pick of machines.
I filled up 4 more double loaders, and 2 more triples. I hope I have enough space bags to put it all; I may need more of the cube ones. They're the best.
It was rough this past week getting dressed for work every morning. Rooting through even a clear space bad isn't easy. And everything needs to be ironed. And you can't put anything back into the "clean" space bags after it is worn/contaminated. Pain in the ass.
Worst part is: I don't think the bugs are gone. I woke up this morning with 4 new red welts on my arms, after ignoring 3 itchy welts on my back yesterday. I will probably have to call the super again and see what our next step is. But at least I followed advice with the clothes - they are protected in bags no matter what happens next.
Gotta go - dryer's calling...
I filled up 4 more double loaders, and 2 more triples. I hope I have enough space bags to put it all; I may need more of the cube ones. They're the best.
It was rough this past week getting dressed for work every morning. Rooting through even a clear space bad isn't easy. And everything needs to be ironed. And you can't put anything back into the "clean" space bags after it is worn/contaminated. Pain in the ass.
Worst part is: I don't think the bugs are gone. I woke up this morning with 4 new red welts on my arms, after ignoring 3 itchy welts on my back yesterday. I will probably have to call the super again and see what our next step is. But at least I followed advice with the clothes - they are protected in bags no matter what happens next.
Gotta go - dryer's calling...
Monday, February 16, 2009
wash, rinse, repeat.
I'm at the laundromat, day 2. My first round of clothes (6 washes, 5 double loads and one triple) will be dry in about 16 minutes. I have already dropped about $25 here today, and I'm just getting started.
I had to basically prioritize my clothes into batches, based on how much I can carry now that I dropped $20 for a shopping cart. (It's brooklyn, everyone has them.) Problem is, I'm guessing what's in the garbage bags based on how much (or little) I can see through them, and apparently I'm wrong. A lot.
So next I will fold them, put them in space bags, schlep them home, pick up 7 or 8 new bags, and start all over again. All I know is, this better be worth it. Those little fuckers better be gone.
GONE!!
I had to basically prioritize my clothes into batches, based on how much I can carry now that I dropped $20 for a shopping cart. (It's brooklyn, everyone has them.) Problem is, I'm guessing what's in the garbage bags based on how much (or little) I can see through them, and apparently I'm wrong. A lot.
So next I will fold them, put them in space bags, schlep them home, pick up 7 or 8 new bags, and start all over again. All I know is, this better be worth it. Those little fuckers better be gone.
GONE!!
Friday, February 13, 2009
sofa city
okay, so, i can't bring myself to put my bed together and sleep on it without my boxspring condom. i read that it's important to supply your body as "bait" after a treatment, or you'll never know if it worked. but...i think i deserve one night on the sofa.
the problem - well, at least one of them - is that all my blankets are in garbage bags. i procured an allergy pillow cover and tossed it on the couch. my pjs - all i had out were the ones from my bed, which again i'd read shouldn't be worn anywhere else after treatment, just in case there were bugs IN the clothes. (ew.)
so i went for the one bag of the cleanest clothes - the ones i had just laundered the night the first bites occured. i picked out some sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt. i shook them out vigorously in the bedroom and put them on. i headed to bed on the couch, sans blankets.
and of course, i was cold. i was very cold. i tossed and turned and whimpered all night. at some point, i grabbed the throw pillows and put them on top of my body to trap whatever heat i could. i snuggled in closer to the sofa cushions. i longed for my bed. it was a rough night.
so today i will go out and find a cover for the boxspring - a decent but cheap one - so i can put my room back together and get some real sleep. probably i'll also have another round with the sharpie, just so i can identify any new bites that occur, if they occur, which i really, really hope doesn't happen.
the problem - well, at least one of them - is that all my blankets are in garbage bags. i procured an allergy pillow cover and tossed it on the couch. my pjs - all i had out were the ones from my bed, which again i'd read shouldn't be worn anywhere else after treatment, just in case there were bugs IN the clothes. (ew.)
so i went for the one bag of the cleanest clothes - the ones i had just laundered the night the first bites occured. i picked out some sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt. i shook them out vigorously in the bedroom and put them on. i headed to bed on the couch, sans blankets.
and of course, i was cold. i was very cold. i tossed and turned and whimpered all night. at some point, i grabbed the throw pillows and put them on top of my body to trap whatever heat i could. i snuggled in closer to the sofa cushions. i longed for my bed. it was a rough night.
so today i will go out and find a cover for the boxspring - a decent but cheap one - so i can put my room back together and get some real sleep. probably i'll also have another round with the sharpie, just so i can identify any new bites that occur, if they occur, which i really, really hope doesn't happen.
mmm, toxicity.
my super showed up at 8am, as scheduled. i scrambled to get the last of my garbage bags of clothes out of the bedroom as he laid newspaper on the floor and placed a canister on it.
"we need to flip up the mattress," he said. as i dragged the bags down the hall, he hoisted the mattress up and leaned it against the wall.
"this doesn't look bad," he said. he pointed to the top of the mattress. "but there's one right there...crawling."
"BASTARD!" i hissed through closed teeth. "i bet that's the one that's been biting me."
with that, the super said he had to switch off all the circuit breakers as a precaution. he hadn't warned me of that, so i was relieved that i'd spent all my money on plastic bags and laundry detergent and had none left to fill my fridge with food.
he snapped the fuse switches off one by one as i put on my jacket and grabbed my bags.
"you ready?" he asked.
"you bet."
he flipped the cap and started the fogger - TAT it said on the can - and we bolted out the door.
i had every intention of coming home from work around 1:00 or 2:00, getting the fridge back on, doing laundry, cleaning up and putting my life back together -- but it didn't happen. i didn't get out the door until after 4:00. i also planned on hitting futon furniture city on my way home, since they sell the allerzip products there. quick in-and-out, i figured. ha.
i had called FFC yesterday - less than 24 hours ago - to verify they had what i needed. somehow, snce then, they'd sold out of half the package: boxspring covers. i paid $98 + tax for the mattress cover and decided to try my boxspring luck at the nearby bed bath & beyond and was shocked to see the ENORMOUS selection of mattress covers they had in the bedding department. they had nothing boxspring-specific, and i was not in the mood to drop another $90-$100 for a mattress cover to use as a boxspring cover. (i don't know what the distinction is in my head, except that the boxspring doesn't get as much direct contact and use, so its cover need not be as comfortable or fancy.)
the woman at BBB was super nice and, curiously enough, super inquisitive. she examined my allerzip cover, and then was asking me a ton of questions. do you have bedbugs? have you seen them? have you been bit? what do the bites look like? has your home been treated? what was it treated with? did it work? she was very sweet, and i believe her curiosity was actually to help her do her job better, in assisting customers who purchase her products. she said many people speak with a hushed whisper, afraid to admit in public they have such a problem. i laughed and said "not me. whatever. i can admit when i need help. besides, it's not my fault i got them. it's not like i'm a dirty person."
anyhow, i left BBB empty-handed, as every reasonably-priced full-sized mattress cover was out of stock, just like at FSC. i decided to hit target again, since i was there yesterday and they had an aller-something cover for abotu $25. but, lo and behold, they were sold out too, in the last 24 hours. everyone at all these stores told me the same thing: they sell out of their bedbug products at a ridiculous pace, because the problem has become so widespread in the city. ridiculous. so i headed home around 7:00 to my dark, toxic apartment.
in the elevator, i bumped into my next-door neighbor. i decided to come clean (ha). i warned him of my saga, the potential threat to his apartment and his little bulldog, and we sat in the hall and talked for a few minutes. he was very understanding, and grateful for the heads up. he too asked a lot of questions, eventually requesting to peek his head into my apartment to see how bad the fogger smelled. i obliged, despite being totally embarrassed by the state of things inside. "if it's really bad, i'll catch you if you faint," he offered.
i unlocked the door and to our surprise, the fogger left no smell. i flipped all my circuit breakers back on and shrugged at the relative normalcy. time will tell, i guess. i bid my neighbor goodnight, and closed the door.
"we need to flip up the mattress," he said. as i dragged the bags down the hall, he hoisted the mattress up and leaned it against the wall.
"this doesn't look bad," he said. he pointed to the top of the mattress. "but there's one right there...crawling."
"BASTARD!" i hissed through closed teeth. "i bet that's the one that's been biting me."
with that, the super said he had to switch off all the circuit breakers as a precaution. he hadn't warned me of that, so i was relieved that i'd spent all my money on plastic bags and laundry detergent and had none left to fill my fridge with food.
he snapped the fuse switches off one by one as i put on my jacket and grabbed my bags.
"you ready?" he asked.
"you bet."
he flipped the cap and started the fogger - TAT it said on the can - and we bolted out the door.
i had every intention of coming home from work around 1:00 or 2:00, getting the fridge back on, doing laundry, cleaning up and putting my life back together -- but it didn't happen. i didn't get out the door until after 4:00. i also planned on hitting futon furniture city on my way home, since they sell the allerzip products there. quick in-and-out, i figured. ha.
i had called FFC yesterday - less than 24 hours ago - to verify they had what i needed. somehow, snce then, they'd sold out of half the package: boxspring covers. i paid $98 + tax for the mattress cover and decided to try my boxspring luck at the nearby bed bath & beyond and was shocked to see the ENORMOUS selection of mattress covers they had in the bedding department. they had nothing boxspring-specific, and i was not in the mood to drop another $90-$100 for a mattress cover to use as a boxspring cover. (i don't know what the distinction is in my head, except that the boxspring doesn't get as much direct contact and use, so its cover need not be as comfortable or fancy.)
the woman at BBB was super nice and, curiously enough, super inquisitive. she examined my allerzip cover, and then was asking me a ton of questions. do you have bedbugs? have you seen them? have you been bit? what do the bites look like? has your home been treated? what was it treated with? did it work? she was very sweet, and i believe her curiosity was actually to help her do her job better, in assisting customers who purchase her products. she said many people speak with a hushed whisper, afraid to admit in public they have such a problem. i laughed and said "not me. whatever. i can admit when i need help. besides, it's not my fault i got them. it's not like i'm a dirty person."
anyhow, i left BBB empty-handed, as every reasonably-priced full-sized mattress cover was out of stock, just like at FSC. i decided to hit target again, since i was there yesterday and they had an aller-something cover for abotu $25. but, lo and behold, they were sold out too, in the last 24 hours. everyone at all these stores told me the same thing: they sell out of their bedbug products at a ridiculous pace, because the problem has become so widespread in the city. ridiculous. so i headed home around 7:00 to my dark, toxic apartment.
in the elevator, i bumped into my next-door neighbor. i decided to come clean (ha). i warned him of my saga, the potential threat to his apartment and his little bulldog, and we sat in the hall and talked for a few minutes. he was very understanding, and grateful for the heads up. he too asked a lot of questions, eventually requesting to peek his head into my apartment to see how bad the fogger smelled. i obliged, despite being totally embarrassed by the state of things inside. "if it's really bad, i'll catch you if you faint," he offered.
i unlocked the door and to our surprise, the fogger left no smell. i flipped all my circuit breakers back on and shrugged at the relative normalcy. time will tell, i guess. i bid my neighbor goodnight, and closed the door.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
credit or debit? or just...debt?
okay, so now reality is setting in. and it SUCKS.
i went to target. i bought the following:
i went to target. i bought the following:
- 6 space bags - $33
- 2 pillow protectors - $15
- laundry detergent - $10
i called the place that sells allerzip mattress and boxspring covers. they said:
- mattress cover - $109
- mattress + boxspring pair - $159
the laundromat i'm facing averages out:
- single wash - $2.25
- single dry - $1.50
- extra dry heat to kill bugs - $1.00
- total per load: $4.75
- number of loads: 12-15
- total cost: $57-72
and of course none of this includes expenses like new pillows, dry cleaning, cortizone to stop the itching, makeup to cover the welts, or most importantly -- the cost of extermination.
so now i'm starting to see why bedbugs seem like a "poor man's problem." i mean, really, if you have the money to do all these things easily, it will help eliminate the bugs. even better, if you can replace all your buggy stuff by buying new stuff, and can afford to have multiple pesticide treatments, you're in GREAT shape. but me? i'll be raiding the coin jar for laundry money. i'll be able to EITHER dry clean some clothes OR buy food that week. i just don't have the financial wiggle room right now to make this problem go away.
specimen affirmative.
Knock knock. "Exterminator."
I let him in, and led him to the kitchen. As he squirted his chemical goo in my cabinets, I assaulted him with bedbug questions.
"So I called my super today to say I have bedbugs. If I showed them to you, could you confirm it?"
"Yeah," he said. "You have a sample?"
A sample? You mean the crawly assholes I taped to a piece of paper? Yes, I have a sample. I handed the paper to him.
"Yeah," he said, squinting at them. "Those are bedbugs."
"Awesome. I mean, not awesome that I have them, awesome that you confirmed them. I mean, it's just so lucky that you're here today. I didn't even know you came on Tuesdays. I mean Thursdays. Whatever. I'm never home during the week. I'm only home today because I have to do all my laundry and stuff to prepare for the super tomorrow."
I couldn't stop there.
"So the super, he's coming in with some store-bought product tomorrow and treating my bedroom. Do you think that will do the trick?"
"Without knowing what he's using, it's really hard to say."
"Fair enough. I just read that most store-bought products are sub-par for bedbugs, and really you need a professional to treat everything."
"Like I said ma'am, without knowing what he's using, it's hard to say. But we do bedbug treatments too. Today is just the standard roach treatment, but we can come back for bedbugs if you need it."
With that, I set the exterminator free, only after I resisted the urge to hug him.
I let him in, and led him to the kitchen. As he squirted his chemical goo in my cabinets, I assaulted him with bedbug questions.
"So I called my super today to say I have bedbugs. If I showed them to you, could you confirm it?"
"Yeah," he said. "You have a sample?"
A sample? You mean the crawly assholes I taped to a piece of paper? Yes, I have a sample. I handed the paper to him.
"Yeah," he said, squinting at them. "Those are bedbugs."
"Awesome. I mean, not awesome that I have them, awesome that you confirmed them. I mean, it's just so lucky that you're here today. I didn't even know you came on Tuesdays. I mean Thursdays. Whatever. I'm never home during the week. I'm only home today because I have to do all my laundry and stuff to prepare for the super tomorrow."
I couldn't stop there.
"So the super, he's coming in with some store-bought product tomorrow and treating my bedroom. Do you think that will do the trick?"
"Without knowing what he's using, it's really hard to say."
"Fair enough. I just read that most store-bought products are sub-par for bedbugs, and really you need a professional to treat everything."
"Like I said ma'am, without knowing what he's using, it's hard to say. But we do bedbug treatments too. Today is just the standard roach treatment, but we can come back for bedbugs if you need it."
With that, I set the exterminator free, only after I resisted the urge to hug him.
facing reality.
Last night, Kirby came bolting out of the bathroom, grabbed the scotch tape from beside me, and bolted back to the bathroom. A moment later she returned with a taut piece of tape stretched between her fingers, and a little round bug whose back was caught by adhesive was kicking wildly as it tried to free itself.
"You said to save it, right?" she asked.
"Yes," I sighed. "Shit. Another one?"
Together we stuck it on the paper where I taped the first bug. I pulled out the sharpie and marked the date: 11 Feb 2009.
It was then I knew. My hopes of this being a one-off one-bug problem were crushed. We had two now, two are a pair. Two can breed. I knew I couldn't put it off any longer. In the morning I would call the super, or building management, the cavalry -- whoever I needed to call.
So this morning I didn't rush off to work. I took a shower, and called the super around 8:30. I had rehearsed the message I would leave on his cell phone, a curt "Hi Billy, it's Stephanie in 6A. I have a problem and I need you to call me back. Thanks." I was afraid if I left details in the voicemail, he'd never return my call, pretending he never knew I had the problem.
But to his credit, he answered the phone. So I revised my rehearsed lines. "Hi Billy, it's Stephanie in 6A. I believe I have a bedbug problem."
"Aww. [Sigh.] Okay..."
"We found a second one last night, crawling on the wall. I saved it. I verified against photos online that it's a bedbug. I have bites all over my arms and legs."
Billy then told me what we were going to do. He has some sort of spray or pesticide, provided to him by management, for treating bedbugs. While I have my doubts that this will work, based on things I've read online, I guess I can't say no. It's worth a try. So Billy is going to come tomorrow morning when I'm ready to leave for work around 8:00, spray/bomb my bedroom, and then clear out. He says we need to keep the apartment empty for 2-3 hours after he treats.
I asked him what I need to do to prepare for this treatment. He gave me the expected list: strip off the bed linens, take all the clothes out of all the drawers and the closets, put everything in sealed plastic bags, etc. I could feel the life draining out of me as I imagined the money and time to be spent in this exercise, but I know it has to be done. I will call Billy later to confirm.
So then I called in to work, saying I needed the morning if not the whole day to prepare for urgent "maintenance" on my apartment. I'm so embarrassed to admit this problem, even though I know it's not my fault. I know it's not about cleanliness or hygiene. But still, there's a stigma attached.
Then I got ready to head out to Target. I need to buy big Ziploc or Space Bags -- clear ones -- to put all my clothes and linens (and drapes and towels) in after I wash them. I called into a place on 14th street (Manhattan) who carries the Allerzip mattress covers, and they're open til 8pm. As I was doing all this research online, and about to head out the door -- someone knocked on it.
"Exterminator."
I have never, ever been so thrilled to have this man at my door.
"You said to save it, right?" she asked.
"Yes," I sighed. "Shit. Another one?"
Together we stuck it on the paper where I taped the first bug. I pulled out the sharpie and marked the date: 11 Feb 2009.
It was then I knew. My hopes of this being a one-off one-bug problem were crushed. We had two now, two are a pair. Two can breed. I knew I couldn't put it off any longer. In the morning I would call the super, or building management, the cavalry -- whoever I needed to call.
So this morning I didn't rush off to work. I took a shower, and called the super around 8:30. I had rehearsed the message I would leave on his cell phone, a curt "Hi Billy, it's Stephanie in 6A. I have a problem and I need you to call me back. Thanks." I was afraid if I left details in the voicemail, he'd never return my call, pretending he never knew I had the problem.
But to his credit, he answered the phone. So I revised my rehearsed lines. "Hi Billy, it's Stephanie in 6A. I believe I have a bedbug problem."
"Aww. [Sigh.] Okay..."
"We found a second one last night, crawling on the wall. I saved it. I verified against photos online that it's a bedbug. I have bites all over my arms and legs."
Billy then told me what we were going to do. He has some sort of spray or pesticide, provided to him by management, for treating bedbugs. While I have my doubts that this will work, based on things I've read online, I guess I can't say no. It's worth a try. So Billy is going to come tomorrow morning when I'm ready to leave for work around 8:00, spray/bomb my bedroom, and then clear out. He says we need to keep the apartment empty for 2-3 hours after he treats.
I asked him what I need to do to prepare for this treatment. He gave me the expected list: strip off the bed linens, take all the clothes out of all the drawers and the closets, put everything in sealed plastic bags, etc. I could feel the life draining out of me as I imagined the money and time to be spent in this exercise, but I know it has to be done. I will call Billy later to confirm.
So then I called in to work, saying I needed the morning if not the whole day to prepare for urgent "maintenance" on my apartment. I'm so embarrassed to admit this problem, even though I know it's not my fault. I know it's not about cleanliness or hygiene. But still, there's a stigma attached.
Then I got ready to head out to Target. I need to buy big Ziploc or Space Bags -- clear ones -- to put all my clothes and linens (and drapes and towels) in after I wash them. I called into a place on 14th street (Manhattan) who carries the Allerzip mattress covers, and they're open til 8pm. As I was doing all this research online, and about to head out the door -- someone knocked on it.
"Exterminator."
I have never, ever been so thrilled to have this man at my door.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
it's worse than i thought.
so, i've been spending a lot of time on bedbugger.com. like, a LOT of time. i want to know what i'm up against. i want to know how other people deal with it. i want to know who has to pay for all this bullshit, if i have to wash ALL my laundry at once. i want to know everything -- including the things i don't want to know.
i was reading up on the "who has to pay" section for new york city, and i saw this link to the city's housing violations page. i thought, "hm, i'll go check that out for fun." whoa, did that ever backfire.
i entered my building's address, and found my way to the complaint history. i was a bit alarmed at how many results came back. i mean, i guess it is a fairly large building. 6 floors, apartments A-O so that's like...15 or so per floor? a good 90 units or more, i guess. but still, too many results to leave me unconcerned.
i scanned the list and saw it -- BEDBUGS. it was a vermin problem for apartment 4B. 4B! I'm in 6A, and A is next door to B, so all those little fuckers had to do was climb the walls and let themselves in. That complaint was filed in July 2008, and eventually closed because access could not be gained to verify resolution.
but then...something worse appeared. I saw 6A in one of the columns. i followed the line across, and there it was: 6A -- Vermin -- Cockroaches -- Entire Apartment. I seriously almost threw up.
The complaint was lodged in Feb 2008 - almost exactly a year ago. And like the 4B bedbug complaint, it was eventually closed because no one could gain access to verify resolution. So...basically, to summarize, I moved into an apartment with a known roach infestation, AND MY REALTOR NEGLECTED TO TELL ME THIS when i EXPLICITLY asked him if there were any problems with bugs. Any lawyers out there? Do i have a case here?? Did you read about the one crawling on my arm??
I'm not one to deny responsibility when I do things wrong. I know now that I should have and will henceforth and evermore check that website before I move into a building in this city. But shit. SHIT! At least I know I'm not imagining the overabundance of fucking roaches in this place -- but add bedbugs to it and I'm sure apartment 6A will be back on that list in no time. NO TIME.
ugggggggh. Fuck.
i was reading up on the "who has to pay" section for new york city, and i saw this link to the city's housing violations page. i thought, "hm, i'll go check that out for fun." whoa, did that ever backfire.
i entered my building's address, and found my way to the complaint history. i was a bit alarmed at how many results came back. i mean, i guess it is a fairly large building. 6 floors, apartments A-O so that's like...15 or so per floor? a good 90 units or more, i guess. but still, too many results to leave me unconcerned.
i scanned the list and saw it -- BEDBUGS. it was a vermin problem for apartment 4B. 4B! I'm in 6A, and A is next door to B, so all those little fuckers had to do was climb the walls and let themselves in. That complaint was filed in July 2008, and eventually closed because access could not be gained to verify resolution.
but then...something worse appeared. I saw 6A in one of the columns. i followed the line across, and there it was: 6A -- Vermin -- Cockroaches -- Entire Apartment. I seriously almost threw up.
The complaint was lodged in Feb 2008 - almost exactly a year ago. And like the 4B bedbug complaint, it was eventually closed because no one could gain access to verify resolution. So...basically, to summarize, I moved into an apartment with a known roach infestation, AND MY REALTOR NEGLECTED TO TELL ME THIS when i EXPLICITLY asked him if there were any problems with bugs. Any lawyers out there? Do i have a case here?? Did you read about the one crawling on my arm??
I'm not one to deny responsibility when I do things wrong. I know now that I should have and will henceforth and evermore check that website before I move into a building in this city. But shit. SHIT! At least I know I'm not imagining the overabundance of fucking roaches in this place -- but add bedbugs to it and I'm sure apartment 6A will be back on that list in no time. NO TIME.
ugggggggh. Fuck.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
signs of life.
finally today i feel almost human again. that cold i caught -- wow. it totally kicked my ass this weekend. all day saturday i had this unbearable sinus/migraine headache that pulsated through my entire face and jaw. my eyebrows hurt. my hair hurt. my teeth hurt. i spent most of the weekend on the couch with kirby.
on sunday night, as i sat nearly comatose in front of the television, kirby jumped up fast and gapsed - a reaction i've come to know as "shit, a bug" or more specifically, "shit, a big roach." somehow defying my headache, i too jumped and reached for the Raid, only to hear kirby say it was too late, the bug ran under the couch.
despite my throbbing migraine hangover, and despite having my glasses on because my eyes were tearing up constantly, i got on my hands and knees and peered under the couch with a flashlight. i saw no movement, but i blasted some Raid anyway, in a general, left-to-right movement. i regeretted it almost instantly, as the "fresh garden" scent penetrated my nose and eyeballs and made me want to cry voluntary tears in addition to the ones already streaming from my eyes.
i crawled back up on the couch to finish watching the movie. about a half hour later, i felt a tickle on my arm. being extra jumpy lately because of the "i think i have bedbugs" thing, i quickly rolled my arm to see what was tickling me. to my horror, an inch-long roach was on my forearm. i jumped up, smacked it off, and burst into tears.
"WHY IS MY WHOLE APARTMENT FILLED WITH BUGS!?! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?!?! FUCKING NEW YORK! FUCKING ROACHES!"
crying did me no good, because i was already so congested, and it sure as hell didn't make the bugs go away. so i sat back down to watch the rest of the movie through gloopy, teary eyes.
on monday i returned to work against my will, trying to muscle through all the work we have, only to find out my other key colleague had called in sick with a cold. that didn't piss me off TOO much.
but today, i'm feeling okayish. and while that is good news, it is unfortunately not the only sign of life in my bedroom. i'm also getting MORE BITES.
still they're all on my arms, and much easier to detect now thanks to my genius sharpie trick. but now i have these two obnoixious bites on my wrists, in nearly identical locations on each arm -- right upon that knobby radial wristbone. and boy, do these mofos itch. like seriously, painfully itch. and they're so red, and so obvious to a casual observer, that i'm increasingly embarrassed of my plight. i told only one person at work about my "situation" (to which her response was "FUCK!"), but i bet everyone else thinks i'm some dirty girl with poor hygiene. and they don't even know i had a roach on my arm. ugh. how gross. it's all just so gross.
i also told a few people in my family of the increasing likelihood that i have bedbugs. everyone seems to know someone who had to deal with this, and it is never a good story. never. it only makes me further dread the mess ahead of me, which i've been putting off by using hardcore denial tactics. but even denial can't make these itchy welts go away.
on sunday night, as i sat nearly comatose in front of the television, kirby jumped up fast and gapsed - a reaction i've come to know as "shit, a bug" or more specifically, "shit, a big roach." somehow defying my headache, i too jumped and reached for the Raid, only to hear kirby say it was too late, the bug ran under the couch.
despite my throbbing migraine hangover, and despite having my glasses on because my eyes were tearing up constantly, i got on my hands and knees and peered under the couch with a flashlight. i saw no movement, but i blasted some Raid anyway, in a general, left-to-right movement. i regeretted it almost instantly, as the "fresh garden" scent penetrated my nose and eyeballs and made me want to cry voluntary tears in addition to the ones already streaming from my eyes.
i crawled back up on the couch to finish watching the movie. about a half hour later, i felt a tickle on my arm. being extra jumpy lately because of the "i think i have bedbugs" thing, i quickly rolled my arm to see what was tickling me. to my horror, an inch-long roach was on my forearm. i jumped up, smacked it off, and burst into tears.
"WHY IS MY WHOLE APARTMENT FILLED WITH BUGS!?! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?!?! FUCKING NEW YORK! FUCKING ROACHES!"
crying did me no good, because i was already so congested, and it sure as hell didn't make the bugs go away. so i sat back down to watch the rest of the movie through gloopy, teary eyes.
on monday i returned to work against my will, trying to muscle through all the work we have, only to find out my other key colleague had called in sick with a cold. that didn't piss me off TOO much.
but today, i'm feeling okayish. and while that is good news, it is unfortunately not the only sign of life in my bedroom. i'm also getting MORE BITES.
still they're all on my arms, and much easier to detect now thanks to my genius sharpie trick. but now i have these two obnoixious bites on my wrists, in nearly identical locations on each arm -- right upon that knobby radial wristbone. and boy, do these mofos itch. like seriously, painfully itch. and they're so red, and so obvious to a casual observer, that i'm increasingly embarrassed of my plight. i told only one person at work about my "situation" (to which her response was "FUCK!"), but i bet everyone else thinks i'm some dirty girl with poor hygiene. and they don't even know i had a roach on my arm. ugh. how gross. it's all just so gross.
i also told a few people in my family of the increasing likelihood that i have bedbugs. everyone seems to know someone who had to deal with this, and it is never a good story. never. it only makes me further dread the mess ahead of me, which i've been putting off by using hardcore denial tactics. but even denial can't make these itchy welts go away.
Friday, February 6, 2009
make it go away!
so, i'm coming to terms with the fact that i might have a bedbug problem. every night, as i crawl into bed, i hear my father saying "good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite!" i never got it. not until now. not until i started crawling into bed, exhausted, dreading my sleepless night ahead, and praying "please don't let the bedbugs bite me."
but alas, each morning i awake with new marks. in fact, there are so many that tonight i pulled out my black sharpie and started circling the bites on my arms and legs so i can tell when i get a new bite. the ones i couldn't reach, i asked kirby to circle for me. she, somehow, still seems free of any such bites.
i had fully intended to come home tonight and get straight to work cleaning up, but i caught this horrible cold that intensified dramatically during the day today while i was at work. now i'm miserable and can hardly breathe, and so cleaning up isn't happening tonight. maybe tomorrow. but really, i'm just hoping that after a few days i'll stop getting bitten, and i can say i caught the one and only culprit, and he's imprisoned on a piece of paper on my desk.
mostly, i'm just dreading the sheer amount of work it will take to get rid of this problem. so, i kinda want to ensure that i really DO have a problem before i spend all the money and time to fix it. i debate calling 311. i debate calling the super. but...for now, i will just wait and see. i have to at least wait until this cold goes away and i can breathe again.
but alas, each morning i awake with new marks. in fact, there are so many that tonight i pulled out my black sharpie and started circling the bites on my arms and legs so i can tell when i get a new bite. the ones i couldn't reach, i asked kirby to circle for me. she, somehow, still seems free of any such bites.
i had fully intended to come home tonight and get straight to work cleaning up, but i caught this horrible cold that intensified dramatically during the day today while i was at work. now i'm miserable and can hardly breathe, and so cleaning up isn't happening tonight. maybe tomorrow. but really, i'm just hoping that after a few days i'll stop getting bitten, and i can say i caught the one and only culprit, and he's imprisoned on a piece of paper on my desk.
mostly, i'm just dreading the sheer amount of work it will take to get rid of this problem. so, i kinda want to ensure that i really DO have a problem before i spend all the money and time to fix it. i debate calling 311. i debate calling the super. but...for now, i will just wait and see. i have to at least wait until this cold goes away and i can breathe again.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
i detect a pattern here...
i woke up this morning and examined myself in the mirror. it was clear that i'm officially getting bitten by something. i saw about 10 bites on my arms, and one on my leg. one bite on each arm was ENORMOUS, like a 2-inch diameter red itchy welt. either they're biting harder, or my tolerance is decreasing.
kirby, out on the sofabed in the livingroom, seems to be unaffectd so far.
i got online and googled "bed bug bites" and found myself on bedbugger.com, looking at the photos people submitted of their bites. it hit a little too close to home.
so when i got home from work tonight, i went into the bedroom and pulled the sheets back. i scanned the open bed and saw nothing. i ran my hands over it -- more nothing. then i picked up the pillows...
i actually twitched when my eyes detected dark matter in my pristine sheets. i knew right away i was looking at blood. but the location was bizarre. but as i got closer, i saw next to it was a little round dead bug.
since it was dead, i left it all alone and ran back to the computer. bedbugger.com said a few things that were relevant here:
it's going to be a long-sleeve day today.
kirby, out on the sofabed in the livingroom, seems to be unaffectd so far.
i got online and googled "bed bug bites" and found myself on bedbugger.com, looking at the photos people submitted of their bites. it hit a little too close to home.
so when i got home from work tonight, i went into the bedroom and pulled the sheets back. i scanned the open bed and saw nothing. i ran my hands over it -- more nothing. then i picked up the pillows...
i actually twitched when my eyes detected dark matter in my pristine sheets. i knew right away i was looking at blood. but the location was bizarre. but as i got closer, i saw next to it was a little round dead bug.
since it was dead, i left it all alone and ran back to the computer. bedbugger.com said a few things that were relevant here:
- if you find a bug, save it. tape it to an index card or something so you can prove to your landlord or pest control people that you do, in fact, have bugs.
- some people never, ever find a bug. if you find one, you're lucky. don't throw it away.
- it is not uncommon to find blood on bedsheets. it's a result of a bug biting, and a person rolling over and killing it while it's fresh.
so i grabbed my tape dispenser from the desk, went back to the bedroom, and picked up the critter. i taped it to a piece of paper and labeled it with the date. i brought the paper back out to the computer, where i returned yet again to bedbugger.com to review the images of bugs they had. i had a dead ringer.
FUCK!
envisioning the battle i have ahead of me with the landlord and/or super, i also took a photo of the blood smear in my bed.it's going to be a long-sleeve day today.
Monday, February 2, 2009
why am i so itchy?
it all started one saturday morning.
i woke up and noticed i had these to red welts on my right arm, where my bicep is (or should be). it was like 5 degrees that morning, a horrid cold spell, so i thought it must be dry skin or something. i left it at that.
i woke my house full of guests. erin and michelle were sleeping on the sofabed. kirby was with me in my bed. i'd picked erin and michelle up at Port Authority the night before, around midnight. we drove home, and at that late hour kirby and i made the beds with new sheets, since we'd just done the laundry a few hours earlier at the laundromat.
i made my bed. i made it with my favorite light blue modal sheets. i stretched the fitted edges. i tucked the corners. i never saw anything suspicious.
the next morning i woke again, with two new additional red welts. they now had my attention. i considered an allergic reaction to the laundry detergent. kirby had used hers instead of mine. but...why would i only get a reaction on my upper right arm?
sunday night, erin and michelle went home. kirby returned to her life on the sofabed. i slept alone in my bed, not yet suspicious or concerned.
i woke up and noticed i had these to red welts on my right arm, where my bicep is (or should be). it was like 5 degrees that morning, a horrid cold spell, so i thought it must be dry skin or something. i left it at that.
i woke my house full of guests. erin and michelle were sleeping on the sofabed. kirby was with me in my bed. i'd picked erin and michelle up at Port Authority the night before, around midnight. we drove home, and at that late hour kirby and i made the beds with new sheets, since we'd just done the laundry a few hours earlier at the laundromat.
i made my bed. i made it with my favorite light blue modal sheets. i stretched the fitted edges. i tucked the corners. i never saw anything suspicious.
the next morning i woke again, with two new additional red welts. they now had my attention. i considered an allergic reaction to the laundry detergent. kirby had used hers instead of mine. but...why would i only get a reaction on my upper right arm?
sunday night, erin and michelle went home. kirby returned to her life on the sofabed. i slept alone in my bed, not yet suspicious or concerned.
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