@ann0616 It's a good news that your sputum test was negative for MAC/MAI. Although bronchiectasis is incurable, it is not life threatening. We just have to be careful and mindful about it because it causes the walls of our bronchial tubes to get rough with pockets where the sticky sputum accumulates creating hot bed for bacteria to fester. That's why people with bronchiectasis catches MAC/MAI a lot more easily than those who don't have it. My lungs were scarred in my early years. Doctors suspected that I was exposed to TB when I was a child because my TB skin test was positive. Although I never developed TB, the exposure scarred my lungs. I also have very bad case of allergies, which used to make me cough a lot and generate a lot of mucus. After a long period of treatment, the allergies are under control, but excessive mucus remains. Seeing that you don't have much mucus, it can be a good thing. Just be vigilant about any changes in your physical conditions. Let your doctor know any changes and make sure any kind of infections that can potentially go to your lungs get treated right away. If you have questions or just want to talk, you are welcome to send me private messages. Click on the link under my picture to open my page, where you should find a link that says private message. Not that I'm able to answer all your questions. But it never hurts to connect with people who can relate to your situation and your feelings better than those who don't share the same illnesses.