Doctors Find Pea Sprouting in Man's Lung

OK, I though the marinating cat story was weird. Try topping this one.

A retired teacher who had been struggling for breath for months was amazed when doctors told him there was a PEA plant growing in his lung.

Ron Sveden, from Brewster, Massachusetts, was already fighting emphysema when his health took a turn for the worse.

'I was not doing too well, a lot of coughing, I was very listless,' the 75-year-old said.

His wife Nancy was so alarmed by his deterioration that she called for an ambulance and he was rushed to hospital on May 31.

Doctors took X-rays and found his left lung had collapsed and the pensioner feared he had developed a tumour after a grainy spot was found. But his doctors were baffled as they could not find any evidence of cancer.

They were amazed when samples revealed Mr Sveden had the green vegetable sprouting inside his lung.

Ron said: 'I was told I had a pea seed in my lung that had split and had sprouted. It is probably about a half-an-inch which is a pretty big thing.'

I guess you could say he was in a vegetative state.

Doctors speculated that Ron had eaten a pea that 'went down the wrong way' during a meal and ended up in his lung, and then sprouted leaves.

Dr Jeff Spillane who treated Ron, told the Cape Cod Times: 'It was small enough to get down there but big enough not to get out.'

Ron said: 'Whether this would have gone full-term and I'd be working for the Jolly Green Giant, I don't know. But, I think the thing that finally dawned on me is that it wasn't the cancer.'

Through it all, Mr Sveden hasn't lost his sense of humour. He said: 'One of the first meals I had in the hospital after the surgery had peas for the vegetable.

'I laughed to myself and ate them.'

More here.

Thanks to Hot Air for the link.