Well, we are (as far as anyone can tell) officially bedbug free. I spent many nights at the beginning of this whole process reading this forum while I couldn't sleep, so in case you're in the same boat, I wanted to tell you that there's hope!
Here's what we learned:
1) DO NOT PANIC. Seriously. It's so hard to fight against the urge to just throw out/burn/nuke all your stuff. It's not necessary, it runs the risk of transferring these stupid things to someone else or elsewhere in your home, and it's expensive. Take a day or so to really assess how bad the infestation is, be realistic, and talk to your PCO about what can be salvaged. I admit, I panicked. I spent most of the first night after we found them literally tossing things out the window into the backyard. Be ye not so stupid.
2) Find a reputable PCO, and listen to them. I know it's not always easy to find someone that you can trust, but if you have a choice and a little bit of time, do some homework. Ask for referrals. Ask them to tell you how they plan on treating each room, what types of chemicals or methods they'll use, and how you should prep the items ahead of the visit. Do what they say! The PCO that came to visit us was actually amazed that we did everything on the checklist, down to removing light switch covers. It makes their job easier, and improves your chances of success.
3) If you're home-treating, be smart about it. Heed the warnings here and elsewhere about what to use and not to use, and how to use it safely. Our infestation was primarily in our bedroom. We used a daily ritual of obsessive vacuuming, even more obsessive dry steaming, 91% alcohol (on non-wood surfaces) and the alcohol/oil soap/water mixture that jim danca recommends. We didn't get to the point where we needed to try Cimexa, but it was next on our list. Passive monitors are a great tool if used correctly.
4) take good pictures of the bugs you find. Before you kill them with impunity, that is. If you're not sure what you're dealing with, the awesome experts around here can't help in identification unless you have some visual evidence to show them.
5) Be smart about what you buy to isolate the items in your home. Experts and PCOs may recommend that you bag up most of your closet contents, etc. Our PCO recommended it even though we were dealing with basically a one-room infestation, because of the large amount of office supplies/collectibles/random crap we had in the house that would be good harborage areas. We started out trying to use cheapie storage totes, which were so cheap the lids wouldn't even stay on, let alone form an airtight seal. If money is not an object, go for the weathertight totes to keep your stuff stackable and easily accessible. Otherwise, 3mm contractor bags and XL Ziplocs work well. LABEL YOUR BAGS. It sucks to gaze over a sea of black ziptied contractor bags and not know what the hell is in them when you're trying to put your life back together.
6) Recognize that every situation is different. While this site and others are awesome resources, don't automatically assume that the stuff that Jane Doe did to rid her NYC apartment of them is going to work in your 3BR, 2BA split-level in Ohio. More importantly, not everyone has the financial means to quickly and confidently make good choices. There are best practices laid out here and elsewhere, but read them with a critical mind and ask your PCO (if you're using one) if you aren't sure what will work for you.
7) Set up some kind of system or ritual for entering and leaving the house. For me, the worst part of the whole ordeal was this fear that I was going to infest my car or take them to the places that I absolutely had to go to: work, family members' houses, etc. Putting my shoes and coat in the dryer before leaving and when returning, and carrying as lightly as possible (no purse), helped me to feel safer about being in public.
8 ) Get help if you need it. Dealing with this stuff can be isolating, depressing and terrifying, and the social stigma and physical symptoms can be so hard to deal with. Find someone you trust that can listen. If you need help prepping your house, try to find someone that can come and assist with a levelheaded mind. And don't be afraid to see a doctor, a mental health professional, or call a crisis line.
It's possible to beat these things! It is! I PROMISE. Be smart, thorough and relentless. You can do it.