and never suspected bed bugs because I thought bed bugs only afflicted homes/apts that were cluttered. I am a neat freak, highly organized, and am neurotic about doing my laundry. I clean and vacuum every day in my apt because I have 2 cats. I slipcover everything and wash the slipcovers weekly. None of this mattered, and the bed bugs thrived anyways.

I started to suspect that it was bed bugs only after my leg was bitten badly. Then I started doing research and made an appointment with the exterminator. We found 1 large one and 1 small one. We set up an appointment for extermination but because of Christmas and also the prep work I have to do, I won't be ready to have the place exterminated until early next week. Since the exterminator came to inspect, I have found about 12 bed bugs total, mostly in the mattress creases, and a few under a rug near the bed. The welts have been here for a week and they are not going away at all.

Since I never had an issue with bed bugs before, I was trying to figure out how I got them. Either they were here before I left, and hitched a ride somehow on my clothing, or they hitched a ride on luggage. Other possibilities include: catsitters brought them in, or other tenants in this building have them.

I feel totally helpless and powerless based on everything I have read about these pests. Even the exterminators cannot make a guarantee that they can get rid of these bugs. Right now I am prepping the apartment for extermination which will happen this coming week. This process is so daunting, time consuming, expensive and exhausting. I hope (but am not optimistic) that my apartment soon will be bed bug free, but I know this will take up to a month at a minimum.