The year was 2006. The stage was Southern Utah. The setting, and the subject of this tale, was a young to middle aged man with multiple vocations, and the usual demanding workload of the common working man at that time. His education was above average. His mentality was “observant.” 

During his mid to late thirties, indomitable, 10 foot tall and bullet-proof, he was forced one day to “observe” an increasingly persistent pain low and to the right side of his sternum, radiating up into his right shoulder. Having a fair amount of medical training, he did not connect the dots right away, and brushed it off as “lung inhalation irritation” due to dusty work environments, and a “traumatic injury” which had injured his right shoulder a year or two previously. 

However, he did “observe” the pain worsened significantly after he had eaten, especially popcorn or fatty meals.  He also “observed” the increased level of embarrassing flatulence, which was expressly noticed by his wife and family (oh dear!!). Still not wanting to accept the obvious, he decided one day, to try a high dose vitamin C challenge, which he knew from experience, was an effective natural “laxative” at around 40 to 50 grams. However, he was out of the ascorbic acid powder a friend had given him, so he decided to improvise by chewing down between 25, 30, maybe more, big 500 mg Vitamin C tablets (stopping before reaching the 80 to 100 tablets needed), and then waited for the results. 

We must here interject, the vitamin C tablet form contains a limestone derivative called calcium carbonate, which is a base. Ascorbic acid, the vitamin C in the tablet is an acid with a pH of approximately 3. Combined, the pH of the tablet is between 6.8 to 7.4. Thus, it has become neutral and known as calcium ascorbate.  Not the best form of vitamin C for human consumption although it is often touted as such. The tablets precipitate in the body and are filtered by the liver and dumped into the gallbladder, to form calcium carbonate stones in the gallbladder. This can and does happen to adults as readily as children. Though the medical industry sees it more in children as the adults require a much larger dose to be a problem. 

Our subject found out, by throwing gasoline on his gallstone fire, a high number of vitamin C tablets, will form very large painful calcium carbonate gallstones or "logs," which may become lethal. 

In about four hours he “observed” his lower right quadrant pain was becoming very sharp and “stretching” in nature. And the ache in his right shoulder was intense.  That's when the red light came on, the warning buzzer sounded, and he knew his gallbladder was about to rupture. Gratefully he knew a little about a “Gall Bladder Flush” he had heard people talk about. In desperation he began drinking apple juice all he could stand, and without waiting the three days, he immediately swallowed 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt, dissolved in warm water, and after 5 minutes pounded down 1 cup of olive oil, along with a second dose of Epsom salt. Then, lying on his right side with his knees drawn up he waited, in pain. After 30 minutes he “observed” that the pain was still there, and nothing had moved. He took another dose of Epsom salt, olive oil, and Epsom salt, and lay down again. Another 30 minutes passed, and he “observed” nothing seemed to have changed.  A third round of Epsom salt and olive oil. Then surmising that “mechanical assistance” was needed, he began performing jumping jacks on the cement floor and then used the re-bounder with abdominal massage in earnest. He massaged in and up with the right hand all four fingers under the rib cage on the far-right side, and pushed towards the middle, then down with both thumbs to the umbilicus. He continued this for 15 to 20 minutes, then felt something move, and the pain suddenly began to rapidly subside. Then fear set in. This was a classic “ruptured” gall bladder scenario: the pain suddenly going away, then slowly coming back as the lethal infection from gall juices in the abdominal cavity begin to destroy living tissue as infection and inflammation take over. He decided he had better go to the hospital and find out if this was the case. The doctor on duty, upon completing her initial exam, stated something to the effect, “It is not your gall bladder, I think you may have a hernia or gas.” However, our subject insisted, so she finally consented to order the HIDA scan as a precautionary measure. Nine hours later, the was scan complete and the initial doctor had gone off shift. The replacement doctor arrived in the cubicle and informed our hapless subject that the pain was indeed his gallbladder and that it was only functioning at 2% and needed to be removed. However, it had not ruptured and so the surgery could be scheduled in the surgical outpatient center within the week. Accordingly, arrangements were made. 

On the day of surgery, the man arrived on time and "observed" a note taped to the locked front door that read, “A spontaneous day off has been declared for the benefit of the staff, please reschedule your appointment. Sorry for the inconvenience.”  After some moments of deliberation, he decided the Great Creator had so arranged events to give him a second chance. So, he returned home and began to do some research. 

He discovered Dr. Christopher’s Liver Gallbladder Formula which had good reviews and was sold in a small herb shop in town. He began taking 2 - 3 capsules three times a day (or more).  He followed the mucusless diet, as best he could under his strenuous circumstances, and the pain and pressure gradually subsided, until the issue was no longer a priority. Then life intervened again. 

Our subject moved out of the local area, and lost track of how to obtain the herbs he needed. Conditions became worse once more. Two years later he stumbled onto another little herb shop that carried Dr. Christopher's products; however, the man had determined by this time he needed more information. He began searching for and located online college opportunities which included botanical, homeopathic, and other alternative medicine options, which, with the increased education, led to the total healing of his liver and gallbladder troubles. This experience, along with many others, motivated and inspired him to become enrolled in further online college courses that offered diverse information on holistic methods of healing which all differed greatly from his orthodox beginnings. 

He “observed” that the more he learned and used this knowledge to bless others, the greater the public opposition. He persisted in his studies and graduated, endowed with a knowledge which has blessed many other gallbladder victims as well as people with countless other ailments - all repairable by enlisting the Great Creator's wisdom, knowledge, and gifts, which were given for us all.  This individual, who was gifted with a non functioning gall bladder which changed the course of his life and thus the lives of many others, is a graduate of the School of Natural Healing…..so now you know the rest of the story. 

Barry Thorn is a Master Herbalist graduate of the School of Natural Healing.