Not for WEAK!

I am posting pictures of Matthew's casts. Do NOT look below if you don't like this kind of thing. If you followed Matthew's Caring Bridge site through surgery, you know that he has been struggeling with his Plastic Bronchitis again. He has coughed out a total of 5 casts so far since this surgery. I think it is fascinating and am just in awe that he can cough these out so I am sharing because some people like gross stuff and are curious! Matthew coughed the thicker one out (on the bottom) Tuesday morning with some effort and then woke up during the night and coughed out the smaller one a little more easily (on the top). It's really quite amazing. They are called casts because they actually form around the bronchial trees as a liquid and then harden there...You can see them here...all the little branches. Something makes them decide to let go and then the only way out is by coughing them out. Some of them have been a little scary because as you can see, they are quite large and block the airways as they try to pass. Especially after heart surgery, it can be quite difficult to cough hard enough to get it through.




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Actually, they are not that bad!