Karen, it's all really scary stuff, but she will get through it. My second surgery was 4 days after initial surgery so I was still pretty drugged up & couldn't tell you if it was painful or not, but I would think it would be less tramatic than the 1st surgery for your mom because if the tissue is dead that they are removing then the pain nerves are dead also. I remember a follow up office visit to my surgeon & he trimmed some dead tissue without anesthetic with scissors! It sure felt weird, but didn't hurt. You mentioned the bad part was dry & hard so maybe it won't be that big of a deal. Keep good thoughts, Erik