What is that tree thing the nurse is playing with?

I'm guessing that Al ran out of ideas when trying to think of something for today's strip, so he decided to just go ahead and use the one from September 30. Only I guess that in today's strip, we're supposed to sympathize with the patient, not the visitors.

How awesome is it that the doctor in the bottom panel is wearing one of those headbands with the mirror (?) on it? It's like Scaduto felt the need to include a doctor in the strip, but couldn't figure out how else to signify that someone's a doctor.

Points to Scaduto for finally having a patient in the hospital not show any outward signs of what's wrong with him--no bandages, no casts. Ironically, this is the one time it's appropriate, since he's getting x-rays in the bottom panel. Al, this is the time you want to show a guy with a cast!

He gets points deducted for the use of cobwebs. Cobwebs don't show that he hasn't been visited; cobwebs show that either Noluk hasn't moved for a long time, or that there are some very industrious spiders in his room. Simply showing him alone, sighing, would do the job.

It seems a bit freaky that everyone would show up at once. Did they arrange it? I'd assume not, but really, otherwise it's a pretty big coincidence. And is anyone else freaked out by how the group is chanting for him in unison? Like zombies, they are.

I admit that when I read the name "Noluk," I did let an an, "Aww, poor guy." I'm such a sap.