Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson for March 31, 2024

Didn’t Dana do a joke like this in Ozy and Millie as well, with Millie (or Milo as he goes by now) forgetting how to involuntarily breathe?

Phoebe! Breathe!

Well now, dolphins have to make the decision of when to breathe, it doesn’t just happen even if they were at the surface for a long time.

Their brain is programmed to hold their breath all the time and not think about it.

Phoebe brings up an interesting memory I had once.

It happened just out of nowhere I was eating a burger at a Wendy’s when I was 13 or 14 and I just forgot for no reason how to swallow.

It was like my brain just went bleep bleep and forgot a very normal function it was doing for my whole life to that point.

I read that people with late stage dementia can forget how to swallow and this makes it hard for them to take medicine or eat meals.

So I got a small taste of what it feels like to have a failing brain.

Luckily I was able to again eat solid foods after a week or so.

But can people with severe dementia forget how to breathe??.

No because that function is hard wired to never fail.

You breathe well enough to stay alive when you’re not thinking about it.

But it’s when you do think about it that you can do the deeper breathing that is good for your body and brain and calming down.

Sometimes people can’t breathe involuntarily if they have a neck injury that damages the nerves that connect with your brain.

But trust me Phoebe I’m fully aware I’m breathing right now but I still don’t have to think about doing it in order for it to happen automatically.

Dana should make a strip or even a book in which Marigold forgets everything so much that she acts like an old and demented senile unicorn and she becomes so debilitated that she doesn’t even talk as much, and thinks Phoebe is somebody else or such and does funny things in her confused state.

and it’s up to Phoebe to figure out what’s going on and how to undo the spell or whatever is happening to Marigold.

Marigold is in fact old enough that she could have effects from aging, even if she doesn’t look old or act old usually.

Calm down, Phoebe! Take a deep breath…

Hopefully Phoebe won’t start worrying about her pulse. That could really cause her heart to skip a beat or two.

" You, You take my breath away" Cycling the Rex Smith song!

You’ll either get distracted and forget that you had this problem, or pass out, and in either case your autonomic nervous system will take over again.

“This stinks! Please help me!”

Breathing does stink sometimes, Phoebe. That’s why people sometimes hold their breath.

I love this one so much! Thanks, Dana!

Marigold can mess with Phoebe’s brain whenever she wants? Why are they friends again?

And as people read this comic, they are now aware they are breathing.

It will be OK Phoebe.

Ever since I was diagnosed with dry eye, I’ve been very aware of my blinking and it’s annoying.

And how many readers are now aware of their breathing?

Not to worry, Phoebe. Just stop breathing. I think you’ll find your concern is taken care of.

Go watch television. Instant distraction.

I try to be aware of my breathing. At this stage it feels needed.

Occasionally I become aware of my tongue, or my teeth, or my skull, and it’s unpleasant.

Breathe… breathe in the air. Don’t be afraid to care.

Welcome to the world of both singers and Pilates enthusiasts.

Happy Easter!

I remember similar situations as a child. What a bad feeling.

This is kinda off topic but i just learned i can do this! (continued in replies)

take a kundalini yoga class

Something similar happens to me when consciously thinking about falling asleep while trying to fall asleep.