New here - my intro

Hello ladies and gents. I'm new here. I've been lurking for a few weeks and decided it was finally time to introduce myself and maybe get to know some of you nice people.

I'm a 52yo female. I've got IDC in a background of extensive intermediate grade DCIS. Lymph nodes and margins were clear. I try to read the report the doctor gave me but I can't seem to figure out my stage or grade. I'm sure at some point someone told me but you know how it is when you've got so much information coming at you at one time, some of it doesn't stick.

I had a routine mammogram on 8/5. It was a fluke that I got it on that day. I was scheduled for gastric bypass surgery on 8/8. I called about getting a mammogram thinking that I'd get it in a few weeks when I was recovering from the surgery. Well, they had an opening that day and I thought, why not. I'd go ahead and get it over with. Good thing I did. On Monday I had the gastric bypass surgery. Little did I know that while I was in the hospital the radiologist was trying to get in touch with me. They'd found a mass on the mammogram. They had been calling my work phone and obviously, I wasn't there to get the messages. Finally they called home. I went in on 8/16 to get an ultrasound and diagnostic mammogram. They were suspicious. I went back the next day for a biopsy. On Monday I went to get the results of the biopsy--inconclusive. Evidently that never happens. So, on 8/24 I had a core biopsy. Those results came back as IDC. From then on, things were a whirlwind. More tests. Surgery on 9/9--partial mastectomy (wedge resection) and they removed a couple of lymph nodes. Back home to recover. I was in and out of the hospital for a while there. Dehydration and I developed an ulcer.

I got an oncologist. The most wonderful woman I've ever met. I can't say enough good things about her. She told me about an oncotype test that would help me make a decision about chemo. I decided to go ahead with the test. I didn't want to do chemo but if the test showed I should, I'd do it. Well, the test came back with a 4. No chemo for me. I was so relieved.

So, I was to go home, heal, and then start radiation. I started whole breast radiation on 10/26. I've done thirteen so far. I've got seven more to go. The radiation is making me very nauseated. I've tried Phenergan, Zofran, Compazine, ginger tea, peppermint tea, ginger mints, and Ativan. So far staying on Zofran 24/7 and taking an Ativan at night seems to be the best combination. If you know of anything else I might try, please, let me know. I'll try anything.

I'll do 10 years of pills after radiation. They're running some tests to insure that I'm through menopause before deciding on which pills I'll take. I went through menopause early and they want to make sure that it isn't a false menopause because of my weight.

Well, you now know more about me than most people that I know. Hope I wasn't too long winded.