FRANKENBUDDHA-- I ruptured my spleen in a sledding accident when I was 12, so don't have one. As organs go, it's pretty expendable. It holds damaged blood cells in reserve, so it comes in handy with serious illness. I got extra sick with mono because of my spleenless state, and I have to have a couple of extra immunizations every five years. Other than that and the big honking scar on my belly, no difference.

Whoops - came back to move my post but it was gone. About what Robin said, though.

I know that, in old-fashioned systems of "science", the spleen was very important in the manufacture of rage. So, by losing her spleen, your friend may become a calmer person!

(I knew a kid in 7th grade who had a bike accident and surgery similar to what Robin describes. He came through fine, and did not have a personality change, either.)

Frankenbuddha, I hope your friend recovers quickly. When I was a little kid my cousin (who was an adult) had to have his spleen removed. He was fine and is still going strong. My main memory of it was that I decided for some reason that the spleen was in your thigh. I have no idea what made me think this. But I held on to the belief for years!

But if your lose your spleen, where will the magic go?

So like a Gall Bladder then, or slightly more useful? But not a liver or a pancreas (the pancreas is a required organ too, right) and not as expendable as the appendix (which is a waste of the little space it takes).

Whew, that's good to know. Sounds like if she's out of ICU she should be OK.

I know that, in old-fashioned systems of "science", the spleen was very important in the manufacture of rage. So, by losing her spleen, your friend may become a calmer person!

Ooh, that would make me so mad!

Except I couldn't get mad.

Which would make me even madder!

Analysis: Spleen is v. important in the prevention of head explosion.

But if your lose your spleen, where will the magic go?

To Allyson, I'd assume.

Venting your spleen. Full of bile. Gee, the moderately disposable organs are a pretty pissy bunch. Probably resentful of the more necessary ones. They probably get mocked by the heart cruelly. Everyone leaves the appendix alone, though. I guess they deem it so completely useless as to be pitiful.

I'm glad your friend is doing better, Frank.

In other news, I hate computers. Stupid windows tricks. And I'm not even using a PC!!

Gee, the moderately disposable organs area pretty pissy bunch. Probably resentful of the more necessary ones.

Liver, spleen, lungs and bile -- the four humours.

Lungs get phlegmatic -- they're both necessary and pissy.