Hi Steve!
I'm SO sorry for your situation. Cancer, whether one actually has it or not, is an emotional BULLY.
But let me offer you some perspective. I recently had a "scare" with my urinary tract. Back in June, I had 4 separate incidences of gross (visible) hematuria (blood in urine). I immediately went to my GP, who confirmed that indeed, there was blood in my urine,ordered blood work, a CT scan with contrast, and a referral to a urologist.
I got the bloods and the CT done right away, and both came back normal. I was SO relieved! The only thing left was to see the urologist, but I wasn't worried. I really didn't think there was anything in my bladder.
First off, let me interrupt my tale to tell you that I agree with Sara Anne. It's absolutely ridiculous that they wouldn't perform a cystoscopy because of the "amount" of blood. NO amount of blood is normal, though I have read that gross hematuria is a more ominous symptom than microscopic.
Anyway, I finally had my urologist consultation, followed by a cystoscopy 2 weeks later, where...They found a small tumor near my left ureter that the doc characterized as "suspicious." I was TERRIFIED.
Long story short, I had a TURBT as Sara Anne described, and the pathology came back as "cystitis cystica"--a benign, inflammatory condition. This was quite a relief, and here is what YOU can take away from this:
1. I had my post-surgical follow-up a few days ago and the urologist told me that the cystitis cystica was an "incidental finding" and that he doesn't believe that it caused my hematuria.
2. He also said that in roughly 40-60% of cases, they NEVER find the cause of hematuria. The point of all the testing is to rule out cancer or stones, and once that's done, it's just considered benign/idiopathic hematuria.
3. This is the most important thing: Stop torturing yourself with Dr. Google. When it comes to Dr. Google and hematuria, all roads seem to lead to cancer. I tried repeatedly to find that one piece of data on the web that would bring me comfort, and I never found it. My incessant "research" just made me more terrified. If you go back several posts here you will find one where I publicly declared here that I was going to cease my internet research and stick to this board exclusively. In the absence of actual test results from your doctor, there is more collective knowledge on this forum than anything I found outside of it, and there's boatloads of support to boot.
You're already on your path to a diagnosis and, if needed, treatment. You're doing all the right things to heal and get answers. Keep moving forward and keep coming back here. That's my personal recommendation for calming your mind.
Please keep us posted.