I am not sure whether to break this into two threads or lump part two into this, but here is the main question and brief explanation.   MattyB affectionately coined a phrase sometime back of a "Doinker" when a palm that has had some trauma decides to abort its current growth point and shoot its meristem/growth point out in some other direction. It seems most common on heeled palms or palms that have a slow growth rate... I've had several and most have died, but I know of a couple