You know what the vagus nerve is also called? "Cranial nerve X".

Yeah, the doctors say there's nothing wrong -- just a little lightheadedness when you stand. But cranial nerve X will quickly force you into a wheelchair. Then comes the balding. Soon after, you'll be in fear with your mind a confused jumble, until you realize you're hearing other people's thoughts. At long last, the transformation will complete, Charles Xavier, and only then will your true path become clear.

Say "Hi!" to Erik Lehnsherr for me.

I used to always want the red thermometers as a kid. Until I found out where it goes.

Hope your health is fine.

- derumi (del-me)
"Bobby Fischer? Man, that guy is crazy!" - Mike Tyson

Same thing happened to me.

Well the first part anyway. I was beset by a stomach ache and as I was on the toilet I passed out. Luckily my wife (then gf) was able to hear me feebly call her name before I knocked my head against the sink. She caught me on my way to the floor.

I didn't head to the doctor right away because I felt fine after she woke me up and I was able to lie down for a few minutes. Actually I forgot about it until I finally went to the clinic a few weeks later and they too said something about the vagus nerve.

Nothing similar has happened since. But as I get older I am a little more spooked by these types of stories. Probably would head straight to the hospital if it happend again. Dunno if that is a good thing or not.
 

Am I a great person? Hell no - by most metrics I'm pretty much an asshole. -TSlothrop

What are they going to do at the care facility that you couldn't do at home besides bore him to death? Not that you couldn't bore him to death at home if you really tried...I do give you some credit;)

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

I had an episode, about 13 years ago, when I passed out at work.  I didn't have any pain or distress or anything and it probably was due to stress.  At any rate, some good came of it because it gave me the final impetus to make me get serious about quitting smoking.  Thus, in the course of a week, I went from two packs a day to none.

Your girlfriend's dad sounds like his difficulties are circulatory.  A friend of mine had low grade diabetes with circulatory problems.  He developed a sore on the bottom of his foot and, because he was too stubborn to follow doctor's orders ended up losing the foot.  Hoping he takes better care of himself than my friend did.

Illegitimi non carborundum.

My gf's previous roommate would occasionally just pass out from some sort of seizure. It was only dangerous in that he'd just pass out cold and could get hurt from the fall but there was nothing deeper to the passing out itself. One time he was at a new job and hadn't told anyone yet and just passed out cold. He was so pissed to wake up with an ambulance bill.

That doesn't sound at all like what you went through (especially with the stomach thing) but there are times when mainstream medicine just can't explain these things and doesn't try when there's no continued physical threat to health.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.