At first the 3yr old had bites all over her. I took her to see her regular doctor who determined that they were bug bites and prescribed a steroid cream. I have a dog so we thought it was flea’s. Three months later and after alot of flea baths and flea powder and having to launder everything over and over, we all four had lots of bites.

My boyfriend still thought it was fleas. I wasn’t sure so one night I stayed up and investigated. I captured 50 bedbugs within 30 minutes! I found myself unable to sleep night after night. I reported it to the local health department, they called the motel and they denied they had them. Then the motel did nothing and night after night we suffer. It has finally got to the point that my life is a living nightmare.

I am looking for an affordable place to live, we can’t just leave because I have car problems, its cold and we have no where to go. I am so disgusted and overwhelmed and feel like crying, my skin itches so bad that it burns. We have all had respiratory problems since we came here. The children caught a viral infection I think caused by these insects.

The lists goes on and on so yes these insects are a health hazard and the CDC needs to declare them so!

Update on my situation:

We are never wanting to go back to VG. Items we have taken and treated are possibly unsafe, yesterday my 16 yr old found new bites on her legs. While I am unsure if this could have possibly happened Wednesday when putting our dinette set on the truck for heat treatment or if it is something we brought to our new home I am extremely freaked out. If we brought it there could only be a few bugs not an infestation…OMG!

We spread Diatomaceous earth all over our new town-home last night. On all carpeted surfaces and every crack and crevices. This is very effective to prevent infestation and rid of any lingering bugs we missed with the precautions we took. Mike, we only brought 2 truck beds full of items and those were thoroughly heated. I am at a complete loss living in these conditions and making the sacrifices we are in order to run from the bugs. In addition, we are going back to the laundry mat to reheat all the things we did on Sunday. I am broke.

Right now both me and my daughter are an emotional wreck. Last night when I got home from work and saw her new bites I wept after asking her to tell me what was on her mind and why she looked so sad. She said “Mom, I can live with the bites I am becoming used to them, but where are we going to live? Do we have to move again, if so I don’t think I can handle that”. I assured her that we would get through this and that it was a temporary set back, however, I am not sure if that is true. How much more can we be set back? We are living like people in poverty with nothing and no hope of ever retrieving our clothes and personal belongings. I work in a professional environment and as a woman I need my shoes, and clothes. I have one pair of sandals and three changes of clothes for work. Our closets are empty due to not being able to bring ANYTHING else from the old apt. I simply can’t take any more chances.

The kids are isolated from a social life. There aren’t kids coming around anymore. I am not allowing them to go to other peoples houses for visits in fear that we may take it to some unsuspecting person’s house. This whole summer has been a nightmare for our whole family.

I am forwarding pictures of our current living conditions for our records. I will forward pics of how we have been forced to use our truck as a heat chamber as a last hope of taking those two truck beds of items out on Sunday and Monday. My old apartment is a mess, not filth just completely out of order due to this whole mess. I don’t want to step one more foot into the place ever again.

APT. Management update:

I still have not spoke to apt management since last Tuesday. Not sure what the next bullet will be that comes my way, however, I’m sure it will be an eviction after not paying rent for 30 days and still having our belongings in the apartment.

Attorney can you please advise me on your plan of action regarding this case, I need hope of some kind to help me get through these next several weeks.

She has only been there 5 days and has found the dead bugs throughout the house! We live in Texas where tenant rights are not as strong as places like San Francisco and New York. Any advice on how to prove that she did not bring the bugs into the house? Is there a chance of her getting out of this lease and getting any of her money back?

Also- She has written him a certified letter with request for return signature. Unfortunately he only gives a P.O. Box address and will most likely not respond.

Jim