Editing 818: Illness

{{comic
| number    = 818
| date      = November 12, 2010
| title     = Illness
| image     = illness.png
| titletext = <3 If there's anything you can do, I'll let you know. For the moment, any simple distracting online games sent to sick@xkcd.com will not go unappreciated [EDIT: Holy crap 2,700 games before noon. I love you guys; thank you. They will be passed along and played by us all.]
}}

==Explanation==
{{Quote| I’m going through a rough period right now. There’s an illness in my family and I’m having a hard time focusing on anything but worrying and trying to take care of health stuff. Everyone is going to be okay, but it’s going to be a difficult four or five months, and I really appreciate your patience and understanding. I’m going to keep putting up comics, but I don’t how much else I’ll be able to work on.|[[Randall Munroe]]|[https://blog.xkcd.com/2010/11/05/submarines/ Source]}}

This is the first comic about [[Randall]]'s fiancée's (now wife) {{w|Cancer|cancer}}.

It is self-explanatory, although vague on specifics.

More details and related comics are on the [[:Category:Cancer]] page.

In the comic Randall mentions that he might not be able to (or interested in) sticking to the normal schedule. But he did manage to do that anyway. However, this comic was posted on a Friday, and the next week there were the 5 minute comics, and already the week after the next, xkcd was overtaken by guests during the [[:Category:Guest Week|Guest Week]]. Maybe this was his online comic colleagues who gave him a helping hand?

The title text asks for readers to send him distracting games to play, then was edited to show his appreciation for the number of them sent in.

==Transcript==
:[Randall, depicted as Cueball, is standing beneath all of this text. The last heart is much bigger than the text and comes directly from the Cueball figure.]
:Randall: Hey, everyone-
:Randall: As I mentioned on the blag, I'm going through a rough time right now. I'm dealing with a serious family illness and it's become pretty overwhelming.
:Randall: We're still getting a handle on everything, and I appreciate your patience while we figure it all out.
:Randall: Thank you to everyone who wrote in with kind wishes and words of support. They've been passed on and meant a lot.
:Randall: I like drawing, and might find time for it in the coming weeks, but I'm not going to push myself to stick to a schedule.
:Randall: However, between my stacks of notebooks, scanner, and supportive sysadmin, I should at least have something interesting to share with yyou in this space each M/W/F.
:Randall: ♡

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Randall Munroe]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Cancer]]