Should I let mom take her oxygen off?

Thank you all for your help. She has not worn her oxygen at all for over 24 hours. Km her own with no exertion it is low but OK. I asked her today if she was short of breath. She said no. So no oxygen. We'll have to see what happens. She is also diabetic. Today she wanted cookies. I got her some. At this point I'm going to keep her happy or at least comfortable. I'm tired of being the "bossy" one.

My MIL was on hospice dying of cancer. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's a couple of years earlier but it was pretty mild if she had it. Dementia yes. Anyway, her primary problem was diabetes and cancer. She would constantly remove her oxygen. One daughter would put it back and tell her she needed to leave it on. One day she said "if I die, I die". It was just that annoying to her. No one bothered her about it anymore. She did die a couple of days later but it wasn't because of the lack of oxygen.

My dad died of congestive heart failure about 3 years ago. He was in home hospice care for 9 long weeks. During that time he continually removed his air mask, and tried to sit up or get up out of bed. He was unable to walk on his own. He was more alert and able to have a conversation of sorts when he used the oxygen. When he didn't he was extremely confused and said things that made no sense. But I saw what he went through with my mom riding him everytime he took it off or sat up. It was very hard on him to feel like he was always in trouble. He even told the hospice Chaplin that he could never please my mom no matter what. I suggest you let her do what she wants. She is at the end of her life- give her some choices of her own. But that's just me; you have to choose what's best for your own family.

I spoke with the hospice nurse and doctor this morning. The order is being changed to "use for distress". Mom keeps taking it off, doesn't understand. Unless she is everything herself it very seldom goes too low. She is wheel chair bound so that is seldom as long as she doesn't fill with fluid. We will see. Her dementia is the worse part of her health issues right now. Has progressed in 6 months from walking, talking, dressing herself, to wheel chair bound, just sitting must times staring. Will acknowledge you but conversation very limited and very little memory. Very sad for a woman that raised 5 children and traveled the world as a military wife.
Thank you all for your answers. This is a great site.

Personally, I would make sure it was on correctly during my visits and when I left. Beyond that, I'm not sure what you can do.

I'm bumping this up...