I had my gallbladder removed 6 years ago via emergency surgery after having suffered 2 years of severe attacks and 3 times big misdiagnosed with other ailments I didn't have.
In agreement with your co-worker, I was given a test tube full of hard, yellow stones varying in all shapes and sizes.
I wonder about these "stones" being passed during the flushes I've read about that are green and dissolve. My old stones (don't ask why I keep them, they're a pitiful conversation piece) are still as yellow and hard as the day they were removed.
I should also say that the fluid they were in originally has since evaporated so I don't know what's keeping them solid unless they are just that, solid, regardless.