FPT. It's too bad your marginata had/s Scale. Unless your other plants have bugs, scale/eggs were probably on the plant when purchased. BTW, did you isolate your marginata? I don't know if you want to spend time ridding scale, return or replace with variegated marginata. ???? People here have different methods ridding insects. Some work, some do not. There are two things I do to prevent/kill insects. I dislike chemicals, avoid using as much as possible. Therefore, my plants are sprayed w/a home-made insecticide. Since your plant has scale, I'll explain what I do to rid and avoid those brats! lol Did you ever hear of Fish Emulsion? FE is an organic fertilizer, high in N. It also works, as an insecticide, by spraying foliage. Kills Scale, big time. The owner of a Citrus Nursery in FL once told me they spray their trees w/FE as a Scale preventative. Because my plants never had scale, I half-listened. lol. Then, in 1999, I ordered an Olive Tree. On Day 2 while misting plants, I noticed a brown bump on an olive leaf. I approached the Olive, and discovered, not one, but hundreds of brown bumps. That's when it hit me...SCALE! I immediately phoned the Citrus nursery owner, asking the proper dossage of FE and water. (BTW, olive was purchased elsewhere.) She said, one capful of FE to approximately 16oz water. I mixed FE and water in a 16oz spray bottle, shook thoroughly and sprayed away. 1-2 days later, all signs of scale were gone. A week or two later, 'can't recall,' I applied a second application. FPT, I swear to God, since that day, my plants never contrated scale again. Ever. 2. Every 2-wks during winter, my plants are sprayed w/natural ingredients such as garlic, hot pepper, citrus rind and a few other things. Once a month FE is added to other ingredients, then sprayed. Works like a charm. Forgot to mention. The Olive tree sat between two Citrus trees. Citrus closest branches were loaded w/scale. The morning I sprayed olive tree, neighboring plants were entirely sprayed, too. Can't hurt, right? And, while spraying leaves to rid insects, the plant is also foliar fertilized. The only con about FE is an odor. It has a fishy smell that lasts 2-3 days indoors. There is an odor-less type, but I've never used it so can't comment. Fish Emulsion cost is about 7.99 for a 32oz bottle. Good luck, Toni

Here is today's update!!! Straight off the press!! Marion, sweetheart, please know, and extend to all my other friends out there in gardenweb land, their prayers are making a difference. Today's oncologist appointment was so tense for us...waiting and waiting. The Oncologist's plan of attack is straight forward, sounding much less painless and less debilitating than we both envisioned. He gave us so much hope and promise with his assessment that for the first time in weeks, we were actually chuckling with him and breathing easier. He has our total confidence. And we are praying his plan will work and Dennis's treatments after surgery may allow him to get back to a normal life and work while still getting Chemo and radiation and, Oh crap, I am just so much more relieved as is the love of my life, Dennis! Now, we face surgery on Tuesday to get rid of the evil within, and move forward. Today was a GOOD DAY! God bless.

Glad to hear the good news. I totally get the heart-stopping feeling. When my now 4 1/2 year old twin grandsons were born at 36 weeks, one spent 1 week in the NICU then another week in the step-down unit. The other twin had blood and bilirubin issues and spent 2 weeks in the NICU, where they performed a total blood transfusion at 8 days old, then 2 weeks in the step-down and then we spent the next year running back and forth to hematologists and pulmonologists. The poor baby was a pincushion. Thank goodness that's behind us and they're both getting ready to start kindergarten this fall. Helene

Thank you, thank you!!!!!! I was reading my old Merck Manual last night about appendicitis. Less than 50% of people have the typical symptoms, pain on lower left abdomen, fever, nausea, vomiting, etc. I have no pain or any of the other stuff. Plus on a CT scan you really cannot tell early appendicitis but since this scan was compared to one from 3 months ago the appendix has changed in size. You know, I forgot that about 3 weeks ago I may have had a UTI but I never bothered the doctor with that and that pain went away. Maybe the appendix had jumped in there to help fight some infection and so became inflamed itself. Who knows? The Merck Manual says that perhaps 15% of people who have appendix removed don't even have a bad appendix. Sometimes the pain is from something else. But, from what I understand, the standard treatment today is to laprascopically (sp?)remove the appendix because of the serious danger of rupture. Rupture can kill you. So now I am on 2 antibiotics to lower the inflammation, etc. until I can get the poor baby removed. Thanks for the prayers. See, God has been watching out for me. Thanks to you all for keeping me in your thoughts. Love from Phoenix. Eileen