They slept on sand, using a bucket for a toilet. Mrs. Nagy gave them what food she could, but was reluctant to draw attention to herself by buying and preparing more than she needed for herself, so the family lived mostly on potatoes and cabbage. Most of Kanitz's teeth fell out from lack of nutrition. "It was very cold and damp, and we were sick all the time with colds. And always, always hungry. You know how they say when your stomach touches your backbone. I became listless and every movement was an effort. My belly started to swell and my arms got very thin. At a certain point, I lost the hunger and became resigned to it, almost catatonic."