A short trip into the Whirlwind

Should I breathe today?
That’s nearly so morbid a question as it sounds.
It’s not that I’m asking should I continue to live, but when every breath drawn is a picture of pain, I wonder if it is really something I should choose.
I stand spinning without movement, the surges growing stronger.
Learning without comprehension—
Understanding without knowing—
And each breath comes unbidden.