[demlosers]

Does this sound believable?

Not.

A doctor should have removed it.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Sometimes they leave it there. At least they did in WWII. My dad had shrapnel in his legs you could feel just by applying a little pressure with your finger, and he also had a bit of it too near his spine to be operable. All together he had fourteen shrapnel wounds, and craters all over his skin from the stuff. I don't know whether he was ever bruised as badly as Kerry, though. ; )