Beth, I tried to reply to your email and I got a failure notice saying that you do not have a yahoo account. Please email me directly (via my profile) and we can continue to communicate privately. Thanks, John

I have sweet basil, dill cilantro and parsley! I also have bell pepper seeds! If you email me at graceann82@gmail.com we can figure something out! This post was edited by graceann82 on Sun, May 11, 14 at 13:33

Most major hospitals have a department that specializes in unusual infections. Just call around until you find the right department and then ask for advice. If your MIL's condition is indeed an infection, by now a culture should have been taken, I would think. Usually hospitals don't release patients with infections of hospital origin until they have cleared up, because it adversely affects their stats. Did this show up before or after she was released? None of my business-- but the reason to know the answer is that the hospitals exert major efforts to treat these things if it can be considered their responsibility; ditto for the physicians treating the patient. No procedure is foolproof, but in our area there was recently a news article listing one hospital as having more of these infections, and one particular surgeon, who is now leaving the area, apparently, as having a higher rate than others (these ratings are not always fair, as hospitals and surgeons who take on more difficult cases can get higher ratings because of that). You could look under cellulitis on Google for more specific treatment suggestions, but without knowing the name of the organism of concern it would be difficult for anyone to give better suggestions than others on this thread have already done. Additional things you could do would be to ascertain that your MIL is eating nourishing and well- balanced meals; that she is handling any other health concerns , such as diabetis, carefully; that her fluid intake, exercise, and elimination is all adequate; and that she is in a nonstressful environment and on a regular, healthy schedule. Fresh air and about 15 min/day of sunshine would also be helpful. If the condition is caused by a fungus, antibacterials might not work too well, another reason to consult a dermatologist or infection dept at a medical center. Ask the doctors already working with her if the condition is caused by infection, and if so what is the organism. If they say it's a common organism but she has it because of decreased resistance, it will probably resolve itself as she builds herself back up. A dermatologist would definitely know of some salve that would help to keep her comfortable; I'm surprised her doctors have not made a referral for her to one. In medical treatment, as in everything else these days, it does not pay to suffer in silence. Your MIL must put her foot down and insist that she receive appropriate treatment for this condition--which is probably going to mean seeing another specialist. In the meantime, she could play around with applying some distilled, white vinegar to a small spot, to see if that had any effect (besides stinging!) Is she able to take showers or tub baths yet? Her bathtub should be cleansed carefully and she needs to use a fresh towel each time she dries her legs. A tiny jot of iodine or other water purifier in her bath water (oil of thyme or tea tree, for example) might also be worth a try. I don't know if hot soaks would be detrimental or not, but a dermatologist would know.

So this has been the progress of the rosemary pot. The tomato has grown significantly and there are two coriander seedlings too in there that I'll take out in a few days and add to some dish. Thenceforth it'll be a tomato pot since I'd like to keep this accidental tomato plant. One thing however is the mystery plant growing which I have marked in the photo below. I poured in rosemary seeds into this pot and this does not look like rosemary leaves. Could anybody identify what this plant could be? P.S. The tiny seedlings in the other pot "thyme" pot are indeed thyme seedlings as I happened to tear a seedling while untangling the coriander leaf which gave off a strong and fresh thyme aroma so I'm very happy about that. Can't wait to start using it in dishes but must wit till the thyme plants are grown enough for that.