Sorry this is long. I found this message thread very interesting because over 3 and a half years ago I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Rheumatoid Arthritis. My doctor said it was 'triggered' by an antibiotic that I was given that I had an allergic reaction to. In one month I went from hiking 8 miles and not breaking a sweat and doing climbing walls to being so disabled with pain and swelling in my feet, hands, my joints ached and sensations in my legs (needed to sleep on my back with legs up on pillows) that I had to get pants with elastic. The doctor told me that I would be disabled and on meds the rest of my life. He could not explain to me sufficiently how this could happen in one month. I refused meds and toughed it out. The first month I felt sorry for myself and was a couch potato. Then I kicked myself and started to read. That was about the only thing I could do. This is what I found out and how I beat my diagnosis. I found that when we reach around the age of 40 our body slowly diminishes it's production of our super antioxidant glutathione. This is a major player in the proper functioning of our immune system and regulates so many body systems that I am not going to list all of them here. The one I am going to mention is that it does regulate the hormones. When this is depleted via the severe immune response that happens when you receive a vaccination the body's cells and gut (80% of our immune system is regulated from there) is no longer protected because of oxidative stress. When the gut is compromised the body absorption of vit. D is diminished. Now another thing to take into consideration is family medical history. Is there allergies or auto-immune disease in the family? If this is true then there is the possibility that there could be any one or more of these factors: 1) defective GSH (glutathione) gene; 2) elevated levels of free floating IgE in the body; 3) increased levels of histamine release from mast cells. These are the most important. Because I found that RA was an auto-immune issue likely caused by my allergic reaction to the anti-biotic I had to deal with the inflammation and find how I could diminish this. First I started with diet. What foods can cause inflammation and eliminate them? I eliminated all processed sugars and went to honey for a start. Then I found what to add to my diet to increase my body production of glutathione (I was 58 at onslaught of RA). I added more fruits and green veggies (increasing my vit C & E). As I researched further I found that whey protein helps intensify the C & E so I started taking a whey suppliment. With the changes in diet initially I saw slow impovement in 1 month. When I added the whey protein I saw improvement in 2 weeks. It took 2 years for my body to heal itself and I was pretty much symptom free and pain free. The only problem I had left was my gut. I believe I had IBS (irritable bowel symdrome). I never went back to the doctor so this is my diagnosis of the symptoms that I had. My gut would feel funny (I called the five minute warning) and I would have to find a bathroom fast. Every store I went to I knew where the restroom was just in case. Further research was done to find out that Autistic children are glutathione deficient and their gut problems diminished after going gluten free. Hummmmm I pondered this for about 1 day and decided to minimize my gluten and test the foods I did eat to see what reactions I would have. I no longer eat standard breads or pastas. I can eat rye bread and one bun with unbleached white bread for my hamburgers. (I love my food, sorry.) I can also eat the pasta that is labeled semolina pasta. Don't understand why but I can but I do not overdo it. I have been reading labels for 2 years now and I am pretty much (money is a little tight) all natural foods, frozen veggies, etc. As of one year ago I am now totally symptom free. Wohoo! My only problem is that I know I will never be 100% ever again. I do have energy level problems so I do everything in moderation. I have to take a power nap every afternoon. I lost 35 - 40 lbs of muscle mass so I can't do some of the strenuous things I used to. But the upside is that my allergic responses to seasonal pollens are next to non-existant. No flu or colds (this was a concern of mine). Over all with my auto-immune issue it is all under control and people are amazed that I ever had RA and was 95% disabled. This is my story. Do your own research. If your doctor will not test for glutathione deficiency (warning: they will not) ask them to test for magnesium deficiency. Glutathione deficiency goes hand in hand with magnesium deficiency. Foot note: Glutathione supplements do not work because the body does not absorb the glutathione. The best way is to get the body to produce more. Here is a link that might be useful: Histamine

i'd make a dr visit and have a check up...wonder if you've added something to your diet with "natural" hormones?

The directions for refinishing with Wet Edge Pearl Matix were to brush twice a day for at least the first 7 days after the day that the pool was filled and to keep that up longer if dust comes up when brushing. I found directions on line for the Wet Edge plaster finish and that has similar directions. The directions don't say when people can go in, but they say wait 28 days before putting in a pool cleaner and 14 days before using the heater. (The directions from our contractor said wait 7 days - perhaps taking into account that our water is already fairly warm?). We were told that chemicals should be getting stable by 7 days and they are in our pool (again possibly taking into account that the water temp).

Yes, just ignore those air roots. Make your clipping, let it sit so the end dries up a few hours and then insert it into your new potting mix in a small pot with a hole. You do not need any honey or rooting hormone. Just make the cutting stand up as best you can. You can put more than one in a pot. There are different opinions about when to water. I wait a week or more if the potting mix had any moisture. Water sparingly, but let it run out the bottom. No sips. I would keep the newly planted cuttings wherever their "mother" plant has been. That's the light, air circulation, temperature they are used to. You should definitely repot in the suggested mix. Change it's soil, as you said above. Clean off as much of the old potting mix as possible, and toss it out. Don't use for the cuttings. I hope you can find the 3 components of the mix. At the very least, use the cactus & succulent mix and orchid bark, but if you can find pumice or perlite it will help. I've started some very large cuttings but sometimes just do 2-4 segments as shown in the photo. I could be wrong in the way I start cuttings, even tho' it works. I cut mine as shown on the left below, but in the case of your plant, you might want to gently twist the segment off as shown on the right. That way you'll cause less injury to the segment which stays on the plant. I'm not an expert. Others may chime in to correct me, but the above is what I do.