I would have to say that maybe you have caught root rot or crown rot. If your soil isn't a good draining soil then its probably root rot, but if you know that your soil is draining properly then you probably caught a fungus in the crown. I would get some copper based fungicide and spray it in the crown and on on the trunk etc. If you live near chicago burbs you can get some at SIDS nursery on southwest highway in palos. I gave my trachy a dose a few weeks ago just as a percaution and so far so good. oh and they also have wilt proof there which you can spray on the leaves trunk etc. (a few days after the fungicide) which will help with the colde weather etc. It is supposed to make your palm a few degrees hardier but i don;t know how true that is. Hopefully the fungicide will work... i have lost 2 trachys over almost 2 years.. 1 to root rot and the secod to crown fungus. SO i learned my lesson the hard way. brian