Today let’s review my gallbladder.
Description
It’s a small green organ that stores bile for release into the small intestine.
Narrative
I didn’t think much of my gallbladder until a few days ago when it decided to throw a fit. Or rather, a stone. A gallstone, to be clear. It was quite painful for many hours but I was able to get through it. Then it got worse and I went to the ER. They said I had gallstones, and that’s what was causing the pain. At the moment it’s still tender.
Now I think of my gallbladder almost constantly. Is this its way of making me pay attention to it? Okay, you have my attention.
Functionality
Apparently it’s a pretty useful organ, although not critically (i.e., you can live without one). It stores bile until needed, at which point it sends the bile down the bile duct into the small intestine. The bile helps you to help digest fatty foods and absorb fat-soluble nutrients.
Quality
Normally unnoticable, at the moment it is insisting on attention by being inflamed and tender.
Reliability
When it works you don’t even notice it. However, it stopped working reliably without any warnings or signs that failure was imminent, so I would have to call it unreliable in my experience.
Durability
It has endured for more than 40 years without problems, so I’d call that reasonably durable. But it has not outlasted me, and it is supposed to come with a lifetime guarantee. Time will tell if it recovers from this episode.
Conclusion
I have enjoyed my gallbladder but, if it has to go, I will probably not miss it too much, because at this point it seems to be more trouble than it’s worth.
Images created with the assistance of AI.