Nother update.
Update
I have the best news I can give right now.
a) I met with my surgeon today and he is confident it is a tumor. That being said he says it is also in a place where part of the kidney is not an option. The whole kidney has to come out.
b) I still have zero signs of metastasis, malignancy, or growth or spread.
c) I was mislead on the speed at which these things grow- the absolute most it could have changed in the last three weeks is a millimeter, at best.
d) I'm getting the entire kidney removed next thursday, an operation called a laporoscopic nephrectomy. I will be in the hospital 2 to 3 days following the operation.
e) After the kidney is removed, I have a 90% likelihood of never having symptoms or recurrence of cancer. Because it is contained closer inside my kidney, rather than protruding from the top it, its chance of spreading is basically nil for a very long time. I am having it removed in a week anyway.
They found it as a stage one malignancy, if in fact it is a malignancy. This means it is very, very early.
I am going to be fine, in other words, and I can stop being afraid.
Again, thank you, everyone, for your kinds words and support. You're all amazing for it.