Well, if this is correct, it may solve part of the mystery for you. :)
You had asked about Ascaris posts. There is one that you might want to look at later, when you become more comfortable with the idea of knowing what you have. Too much can be overwhelming. The post that I'm referring to is an Ascaris surgical procedure that was done on a little boy. They were able to pull out a buck of Ascaris -- I believe you might find some similarity to what you have in your pictures. There is nothing gross in it at all, rather fascinating.
That would be grand -- I would love to see your pictures! :)