Gall bladder is only a storage organ and its does not have any function in production of bile. Post-surgery patient may have a little difficulty in digesting fat but not always. Yes, you can lead a normal life without a gall bladder.
All surgeries carry a small risk and Gall bladder surgery has the same risk.
Shockwaves are used for breaking kidney stones, but many researchers have tried earlier for Gall stones and no evidence is available.
Small gall stones less than 5mm usually gets flushed into the system and gets destroyed but bigger stones cannot be flushed because the exit from gall bladder is a tube with small diameter of 1 to 5mm. So, if there is a large stone it will cause blockade and result in complications.
Not all gall stones need to undergo surgery. Only gallstones which are symptomatic need to undergo at the earliest to avoid various complications as jaundice, Pancreatitis, etc…