I apologize in advance if I sound like a complete moron & if this post is overly long but I'm a newbie who's also a wanna-be gardener & needs some mentoring...

I've done alot of internet searching but can't seem to find the information I'm looking for. About 2 months ago I purchased a small cilantro plant & transplanted it despite the possibility of it bolting. It was doing well for a few weeks until I noticed it was infested with aphids so I treated the plant & slowly removed damaged leaves over the course of another 2 weeks. At first I thought it wasn't going to make it, but slowly new shoots & leaves popped up. I became hopeful since it was recovering & getting fuller, although some stems began thickening & darkening to a purple hue. I was still slowly trimming away some leaves damaged by the aphids over the last week when 3 days ago all the stems stood straight up like hair shocked by electricity, it lost its smell & the leaves began shrinking. At first I thought it was bolting but the plant had not produced any flowers & this evening, I was so sad to find almost all the plant has wilted & yellowed although it did not look that way this morning.

As far as care of my poor plant, it was placed outdoors & received sunshine & regular water to keep the soil from drying. Unfortunately, because of the inconsistent rain & cloudy weather recently, I've been trying to protect it from too much water & inadequate sun by moving it as needed (it's potted). Where I live in Hawaii is relatively cool with temperatures ranging from 66-82 degrees on average.

If anyone could give me some information on why it went downhill so suddenly & tips on the proper care, I'd be very appreciative. I'm actually sad it died! Pathetic to some maybe, but I was so bummed since it seemed to be doing so well. Thank you anyone for your expertise =)