A childhood friend who I was very close to once upon a time has recently got in touch again as she's heard through mutual friends that my dad is terminally ill. She sent a really nice text sending me her love etc etc and I genuinely appreciated it. I have very fond memories of our friendship but I had to step away and end it about 3 years ago for what I believe are very good reasons.
The last few years of the friendship were very strained and completely draining. I seriously believe she has Münchausen syndrome and munchausen by proxy. Every illness, allergy and disease you could possibly think of, her or her 3 children have. ADHD, aubergers, OCD, genetic disorders, autism, ME, dyspraxia, dyslexia, celiac disease - I could go on forever but that's a whole different thread. I simply do not believe there's anything wrong with the children or her due to the way she is obsessed with herself and constantly talking about the conditions they all have so proudly. She revels in it in a way that's pretty disturbing. She also talked a lot about children at the kids schools (there have been several school changes due to her believing the schools are not catering to the needs of her children) who she believed were being abused. Shockingly she works with children and knows how to work the system so has managed to get hold of grants to do up her house (for example she claims her autistic eldest is unable to have baths due to her fears so had a state of the art wet room built in a new house extension paid for with a grant) and although she claims the children do not like change due to their conditions they're now moving thanks to all the added value they have on the house. I think this is morally wrong and due to all of the above I had to cut ties as it was all too much and I didn't want her round my son knowing she'd be constantly analysing him looking for signs of abuse or disease.
My problem is, now she's text and got back in touch I don't know how to handle it. We grew up together and although she hasn't seen my parents in years she knew them well when we were young. With my dad being ill I know she'll be texting a lot and we will be seeing each other soon at a mutual friends wedding. I definitely don't want to be drawn back into a friendship but I don't want to be rude and ignore her. How do I handle this?!?!?