My mother in law has a hernia or an ulcer (golf ball size bulge above her belly button right below her rib cage, it ruptured today is that deadly?

Go to ER: This may be infarcted bowel and need immediate surgery.

Urgent visit: You should take her to seek medical attention this morning. If that means an ER visit, then go. If in fact it is a hernia, any skin ulceration is a potentially life threatening condition. Not immediate like a gun shot wound, but something that need to be looked and treated within hours. Given the time it takes to get to, and in to the ER, then evaluated, etc., you should go now. Hope this helps!