If you have gall stones in the gall bladder itself, they can sit there quite happily causing no symptoms, they cause problems when they move into the bile ducts and block things up causing pain and potentially infection.
You can have the stone removed without having surgery - it's called an ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) just google it. They go through your mouth with an endoscope, use special tools to pull the stone thru and also cut the sphincter at the opening where the duct empties into the gut, this helps by widening the path the stone has to pass thru enabling you to pass any future stones. They can also insert stents into the ducts to widen them if they have narrowed for some reason. This is usually performed by a gastroenterologist, not a surgeon but you are sedated and won't remember a thing.
I don't know about America but it is commonly done in Australia especially if the patient is not fit for surgery, and it is commonly done to immediately relieve symptoms and infections and the gall bladder can be removed later when the patient is well in a more elective setting. What you are offered can also depend on whether you are a public or private patient, the waiting list for public surgery can be long so an ERCP can be done sooner so you aren't in agony on a waiting list. Some people also choose to have an ERCP, do not have further symptoms and choose not to have surgery but this should be discussed with your dr.

Don't stress too much. Like any surgery there are risks but it is a very common problem and drs have lots and lots of experience at treating gallstones.