Elizabeth Bennhoff

Welcome to Elizabeth's CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

On April 23rd, Elizabeth was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, specifically stage 2 Invasive Ductal carcinoma in her right breast. On April 30th, Elizabeth underwent a double mastectomy at Parkview hospital in Pueblo, Co. The surgeon removed both breasts, a collection of lymph nodes for biopsy, and then tumor. The tumor was buried deep in the breast tissue, which made early detection difficult. The tumor was touching the chest wall, so a portion of chest muscle was also excised for biopsy. 14 lymph nodes were removed - 7 tested positive for cancer. Margins were clean on the chest muscle biopsy, and it is unlikely that the cancer has spread beyond the breast and lymphatic system.

The lymph node dissection has resulted in decreased sensation in the back of the right arm and right armpit region - a very common result - and paired with tingling, numbness, stiffness, and weakness. Often, the nerves supplying sensation to the area are damaged during resection - this can either be a permanent or temporary situation. Elizabeth is working on managing the pain, and doing exercises to restore full mobility in her right shoulder.

At this time, Elizabeth has no plans on pursuing breast reconstructive surgery. #noboobsnoproblem

Elizabeth is staying strong and positive. Throughout this experience, she has been hoping for the best, but mentally preparing for the worst. Elizabeth is balancing work, life, and recovery.