Why was i feeling unwell ?

Hello my name is Gary, i am 43 years old.
    Earlier this year i was suffering with very bad heartburn, to be honest with you since i had stopped smoking 10 months earlier i had felt quite dreadful. In reality it would emerge that much of my sudden ill-health would be down to a over active thyroid gland.I had seen various doctors within my surgery numerous times and to be honest nothing was being done, i had been told several times that my blood pressure was high with the same outcome...nothing.
        One day i made yet another appointment, and this appointment would prove to save my life. Dr had been looking through my records and told me that it was not good enough that my symptoms were not being investigated. ( I had even mentioned to one Dr that my stools had been almost black in appearance, no response from him ). My Dr sent me for a upper endoscopy, such fun !! i could not manage it, it is where they feed a tube down your mouth, down your windpipe to investigate. So i was then sent for a barium meal, basically you swallow like a chalk paste and as it passes down into your stomach the digestion is x-ray ed......no problems.
        Then i was sent to have a ultra sound scan. I knew by the young chaps expression who completed the scan that something wasn't right, although he could not tell me so. As soon as i arrived home my Doctors surgery were on the phone, i had to call in and see the Dr that very day. Very strange my mind was racing what could it be. Later my Doctor was explaining that a unusual swelling had been detected on top of my right kidney and i would receive a quick appointment to be seen by the Urology Department at my Local hospital. In the mean time i received a appointment for a CT scan. I had the CT Scan done and then i had a Flexible cystoscopy at the urology clinic. I was and had been very frightened days before i had this procedure. And it was having a tube passed down the Penis into the stomach, the tube has a camera attached to the end for the investigation....and honestly there is no pain what so ever- the only pain you get is for a couple of days later when your trying to pee that caused me discomfort but not the actual procedure.