This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
Exactly three weeks ago I started feeling awful. It's been 21 days of a viral roller coaster -- getting better, feeling worse, coughing, bruising ribs (from all the coughing), getting sick of cough drops, and running out of tissues. It can be pretty hard to get work done when you're in a congested fog and taking antihistamines, but I tried (tried!) to use my viral invader to inspire a few comics in between naps on the couch.
Back when I got my not-quite-as-effective-as-we'd-all-like flu shot, I did this comic here on Symbiartic. And here's what I've been up to since I came down with this tenacious virus.
And then, out of sheer frustration with viral DNA (and since, you know, our own DNA sometimes does impart us with not so great qualities), I did this.
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And since I actually got tired of fully answering, "How are you feeling today?" I decided to make a sickness status chart, much like the 1-10 pain scale you see in some exam rooms.
I hope if you've come down with this hardcore flu you're recovering faster than I am, but in the meantime, may my comics provide you with some slight joy in between coughing fits and fevers.