I tried to make a cross functional flowchart, but it soon gained sentience and broke free. As soon as it had a clear shot for the elevator, the chase was over.

Ha. I'm gonna say 28 steps is too many steps.

Oh goodness, lisah, how awful. And Liese and Scrappy, I'm so sorry for your losses.

I'm terrified we may have bedbugs. That's what I posted about and then freaked out about and then deleted. I have done the research and know the signs, and we don't have many of them, but I've been getting bites every night. Calling an exterminator today and praying it's fleas or spiders. I slept in the guest bed last night and didn't get bitten.

Yikes, Pix.

I was in a hotel two nights last week and now I have odd itchy little bumps on my left hand. They must be bites, but I'm pretty sure they're not bedbug bites. So annoying.

Sympathies to Liese and lisah and Scrappy. {{Buffistas}}

just fyi. If you have bedbugs, it is best to NOT switch beds as they will follow.

First thing would be to seal the mattress - everyone I spoke with or read info on recommended Protect-a-Bed and when I last bought them BB&B did not carry them.

Throwing things out is discouraged because it will spread the bugs in the neighborhood.

I am happy to chat with you via email.

Thanks msbelle. I'm miserable about the possibility. The one cool thing is that our local exterminator uses trained bedbug-finding dogs to figure out if you have them and where they are. I think that's pretty amazing.

Will seal mattress today. I will email you when I can.

Ugh, Pix.

lisah, that's so terrible. God.

I am back from the vet -- different story from a different vet, yet again -- and wish I could take a nap. I didn't get to bed last night until 1:30, and didn't sleep as late as I wanted to.

Oh god, lisah, that's awful. I'm so sorry.

Pix, yikes, here's hoping it's nothing serious! Are the bites very itchy? I had bedbugs once in a hostel in Melbourne, and they were insanely itchy -- like, as bad as poison ivy. So, um, if the itching isn't too bad, maybe it's not bedbugs? (Also, whoa, bedbug-finding dogs? Who knew such a thing existed??)

I'm horribly allergic to anything that bites, so I'm covered in itchy, scabby welts. ND doesn't have a mark on him. I also react like this to fleas, spiders, and sometimes even mosquitoes. Sigh.

Yuck, Pix. I hope it's just fleas or some critters easier to deal with.

"I hope you have fleas" is not something I ever imagined saying to a friend.

I'm horribly allergic to anything that bites, so I'm covered in itchy, scabby welts.

Ugh, so it already totally sucks even if it's not the worst-case scenario. So sorry!