1157: Sick Day

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Sick Day
Wikipedia path: Virus -> Immune system -> Innate immune system -> Parasites -> List of parasites of humans -> Naegleria fowleri -> Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis -> Deciding I DEFINITELY shouldn't connect an aquarium pump to my sinuses
Title text: Wikipedia path: Virus -> Immune system -> Innate immune system -> Parasites -> List of parasites of humans -> Naegleria fowleri -> Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis -> Deciding I DEFINITELY shouldn't connect an aquarium pump to my sinuses

Explanation

This pie chart for the most part reflects the usual experience of being sick - tossing and turning in bed and cleaning up mucus and other bodily fluids from facial orifices - in addition to a few ponderings of a rather more scientific bent.

The punchline appears to be "pondering hooking an aquarium pump to my sinuses," which indicates that Randall's sinuses were completely clogged with mucus, which made him wonder whether hooking up an aquarium pump would help clear them out, perhaps akin to a Neti pot. Studies on nasal irrigation, however, have had mixed results, and the practice may not in fact be beneficial.

Randall's Wikipedia path: Virus →‎ Immune system →‎ Innate immune system →‎ Parasites →‎ List of parasites of humans →‎ Naegleria fowleri →‎ Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.

Naegleria fowleri is known as the brain-eating amoeba. It is found in warm bodies of stagnant fresh water and causes the disease primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare but highly lethal condition. Although N. fowleri are not commonly found in aquariums, Randall's Wikipedia wanderings force him to conclude that attempting to clear out his sinuses with an aquarium pump is too risky. Since this danger would presumably not be present at all with an unused, sterilized aquarium pump, the comic may be referring to a particular pump currently in use and close at hand.

Transcript

A pie chart showing with the following categories and approximate areas of coverage (Starting from the top, clockwise):
  • 52% - Shifting around in bed feeling my skin crawl
  • 24% - Wiping various face holes
  • 5% - Staring at a news site but not reading it
  • 15% - Thinking about how cool it is that I'm partly made of an army of critters that patrol my body ruthlessly dispatching anything they find trying to prey on me.
  • 4% - Pondering hooking an aquarium pump up to my sinuses


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Discussion

I expected the title-text's "Wikipedia path" to end with "Philosophy". 173.8.183.86 07:19, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

My thoughts exactly! (Extended Mind--see title text.) Zelmo (talk) 15:45, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

Is "Wikipeida" a deliberate typo? Does it mean something different than "Wikipedia", or does it just indicate that Randall is too sick to spell "Wikipedia" properly? 194.106.220.85 09:07, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

I don't think it was, since it has been corrected. However, the picture in here has not updated... 95.209.104.190 16:32, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

I expected the FIRST comment will resolve the wikipedia entries ... well ok: Virus -> Immune system -> Innate immune system -> Parasites (actually redirect) -> List of parasites of humans -> Naegleria fowleri -> Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis -> Deciding I DEFINITELY shouldn't connect an aquarium pump to my sinuses -- Hkmaly (talk) 09:30, 7 January 2013 (UTC)

This comic likely refers to the recent bout of flu making its way through most of the US, was on the news a couple days ago.--Relic (talk) 03:40, 9 January 2013 (UTC)

A case of amebic Meningitis from the use of a neti pot was the final diagnosis of an episode of House M.D. 108.162.225.56 09:02, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Yeah but the guy used faucet water instead of a completely clean one. 108.162.212.18 00:02, 15 February 2014 (UTC)

He may think he shouldn't use the aquarium pump, since the "brain eating bacteria" commonly infects people through the nose-- Odannyboy (talk) 06:32, 29 January 2016 (UTC)