North Spirit Lake battling bedbugs

North Spirit Lake member and resident Donna Rae and her family have been suffering from a bedbug infestation for the last four years, and the mother of six wants help dealing with the intruders.
“I am tired of being itchy every night,” Rae said. She explained that she and her daughter, as well as her newborn son, have been getting bitten the most.
“My daughter has sensitive skin,” Rae said. “She has a really bad reaction to the bites. She was put on Benadryl maybe three times already.”
Rae said that she and her family traded houses four years ago, and upon moving into the house she realized it had an infestation.
“At first I didn’t know what they were, I didn’t know what kind of bug it was,” Rae said. “It looked strange. I didn’t know what bedbugs were.”
Rae went to the clinic where they gave her and her family lotions to help with the itchiness that is caused by the bites from the bedbugs. She explained she has been asking the nurses there for help. The clinic informed her they contacted Health Canada about the nuisance bugs.
“Health Canada said they’re looking into it,” Rae said.
She has also gone to her band for help.
“I keep asking my band, this will be my third year taking a letter to the band for help,” Rae said. She explained she was told there was no money to bring in an exterminator to combat the infestations.
Rae said the band informed her they would move her family into a new house, but that there was no money this year for one so she could possibly move into one next year.
“I’ve been trying to get rid of them; I’ve been heating up the house. I heat the clothes in the dryer, the blankets and stuff,” Rae said of her attempts to combat the infestation. Rae also bought a new vacuum, which seems to help a little.
Bedbugs are described on the website Bedbugsinfo.ca as small insects (about the size of an apple seed) with oval-shaped bodies and no wings. The bugs usually come out and bite at night.
Rae said the problem is very stressful.
“I am tired of being itchy every night,” Rae said. “When I go to bed, I have to cover myself from my arms and my legs. I have to wear long-sleeve sweater.”
Rae said that her newborn son is also being bitten now on his face. She said she can’t use harsh chemicals in her home either because of her young children.
“They’re asthmatic. I just don’t know what to do.”
Rae first posted photos online of the bugs and the bites on her children and herself four years ago.
“I’ve been trying and showing photos on Facebook, and I didn’t know where to get help from,” Rae said. “I asked people what would they do if they were in my situation?”
Rae said that she isn’t the only community member who is suffering from the bugs.
“I think most people have them, but I think they’re ashamed to say they do,” Rae said.
Rae hopes to find relief soon.
“I just don’t want to feel itchy every night!”