Hey Tate!!! We are in the same neck of the woods. I live here on the coast of NC and was in Winston 2 weeks ago for my nephew's wedding. It rained cats and dogs, I can tell you.
I know this is a scary time, but you have come to the right place. We will talk to you and help you in any way we can.
When I went for my second opinion with Dr. Raj Pruthi at UNC - Chapel Hill, he summed up the situation to me by saying that "anything that grows in the bladder, polyps, etc." are considered to be cancer. It is the stage and grade of the cancer (which is only obtained by biopsy) that determines how far the cancer has progressed. (Even the stage and grading system has changed recently, so pathology and prognosis has become increasingly confusing)...
That being said, the lowest stage and grade of bladder cancer, (what once was known as Ta G1) has a 95% survival rate. In other words, it is mostly a benign situation but does have a 5% chance of progressing. So, even if you are lucky and diagnosed with this most non-threatening form of bladder cancer it will require medical surveillance for the rest of your life.
I am T1 G3 which means that the cancer has invaded into one layer of my lamina propria. The G3 means that the cancer is pretty agressive. Nowadays, I believe that the new staging and grading system assesses me as Stage 2 bladder cancer.
Even though I have the high risk form of Superficial Bladder Cancer, I have been treated and have been cancer free for over 2 years.
You are living in a good area for the diagnosis that you have. The Baptist Hospital in WS has one of the highest ratings in the country for Urology and Cancer. (Even higher than Duke and UNC). There is a poster here (Mom of 4) whose husband has been treated in WS for bladder cancer, and she may have some good tips about good Doctors for Second Opinions, etc. I have mixed feelings about Baptist Hospital, as my niece was a patient there for brain surgery a few years ago, and we have some painful memories of her treatment there. But, that was brain surgery, long ago, and if we can put faith in rating systems, then you are in a good place...
Please ask questions. It's a scary time. We will try to help you get through this.
Best regards,
Rosemary