unowhoandwhy's Journey with Invasive (Infiltrating) Ductal Carcin...

I went in for my 1st mammo on Monday (10/15/12), because that's what you do when you turn 40. There is no history in my family at all, so I had no expectation of a problem, but I got called back for a 2nd one & an ultrasound Thursday, and they said I had a lump in my right breast. My biopsy is Monday, but I met with the surgeon today and she said that based on what the lump (which is just over 1 cm & not attached to anything, thank god) looks like, there is almost no chance that it isn't cancer (it's not just lumplike, it has nasty little tendrils, etc.). I haven't told anyone yet, I'm waiting for the biopsy results before I do, but I am just numb from the shock of it all.

I've been getting seromas, which are unsightly to look at & painful to drain, but all in all, things could definitely be worse. The tissue expanders aren't much fun, but I consider them a necessary evil till I'm healed enough for the final implants.

I got the results of the oncotype dx test today & the recurrence score is only 15, which means no chemo!!! I'm starting tamoxifen tomorrow, but am so very relieved that I won't have to have chemo!

Tamoxifen so far (knock on wood!) hasn't presented any of the truly awful side effects so far.