sometimes you can peel the layer off and it would be ok but in your case you wouldn't have much of a plant left. Has it been growing recently?

Matt, yes it's been growing slowly but consistently this winter. I had a fungus fly problem and determined larvae were probably eating away at the roots causing the outer psuedostem to rot. I poured in a hydrogen peroxide solution and trimmed the leaf down past the black discoloration, the peroxide worked wonders, the flies pretty much vanished. Left on vacation and came back 5 days later, the petiole had not done any further rotting, and a new leaf was coming out of the center.

I had forgot about peroxide!! glad to hear that has helped and it's coming along.