Mom (90) with LBD has skin cancer. Do we operate?

I would explore treating with local radiation with a radiation oncologist. Most are associated with hospitals. It is only local radiation so usually not affect her well being. It would mean quick painless trips to get the radiation. That quickly a growing cancer can become a real mess unless treated, and uncomfortable also..

famfinder: Depending on the location of the skin cancer on the body, perhaps she can opt for MOHS surgery. Best wishes.

I was a dermatology medical assistant for 22 years. I have seen what putting such
an elderly, infirm patient through a skin cancer treatment does. Don't agree to the surgery, it is too much, and VERY stressful for them. (skin grafts, open wounds,
bleeding) Make her as comfortable and happy in her time left. End of life care is
very advanced, dignified and the kindest you can do for her.

God Bless You for being such a loving child.

Freezing it off would be the Least invasive. Anesthesia is Known to be bad for people with dementia . Forget a skin Graft - I had to have them and they take quite sometime to heal - several Months and if that area gets infected you can Lose the graft and Have to be regrafted or your body rejects the graft . Hospice sounds Like a Great idea . Also there are topical solutions that are Holistic . I would try that first . Grafts Take a lot of work to keep clean .

Too late for palliative care.
My own wife of 58 years of marriage died Feb. 5th, 2022. I am very empathetic, understand pretty well what you will be going through.

You need to go on the internet and download the DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY FORM, so next of kin can make arrangements with doctors, banks, healthcare decisions and end of life decisions for the ill person.
If the ill person is too sick to sign the form, you must go to his/her two doctors to confirm health disability; also two witnesses to your signature for her, in place of hers, in front of a Notary.
We called Vitas Healthcare and put her in Hospice Care at home. I just went through this same agony. Wife 82 died after 1 year of pain and misery, agony. Even in Hospice care for that year, she couldn’t talk, couldn’t move, had pain, but we couldn’t assess just how bad it was.
Your first priority should be getting her pain under control. Hospice nurses promptly respond to your questions. She’ll probably have to be sedated, because any serious diseases goes through stages, Able to walk, able to sit up, able to roll over… with assistance, then immobile. Bedsores become an everyday occurrence, treatable to a degree only. They won’t heal.
My wife suffered so much. Wasn’t able to eat or drink, even with baby bottles. We had her on 1 mL (liquid Morphine) every four hours, orally in cheek or under tongue till she passed. There were a couple of other meds given just to keep her comfortable.

1st thing: Immediately get the Notarized Durable Power of Attorney done. Don’t delay! It will make things tougher.
Call a Hospice Healthcare. Your choice. Get recommendation from Hospital; patient’s current health insurance will auto-terminate when Hospice starts. Hospice supplies most of the equipment and moves it in for you. Full electric bed, bed table, diapers, etc.
If you need guidance and helpful suggestions, message me.

Don’t do this to her. She’s 90. Lewy body dementia is a terrible disease. She can’t recover. Now she has cancer. She may not understand what you’re doing to her with an operation and she’ll die soon anyway. Palliative care is a good thing and you should discuss it with those who provide it. Hospice lets them pass with the support and love of the hospice community. I went through this with my dad. He had lymphoma and had a mass removed from his colon shortly after lymphoma diagnosis at 92. He was never the same after that operation and I wish he hadn’t done it. His choice. Our problem because his dying took a long time, all my energy, and caused him too much suffering. Just let your mom go. It’s time.

NO !!