The reality is that everyone dies. Maybe she decided going out in a blaze of glory or "high" in love is better than a slow, agonizing death that old age can bring (like what she surely observed with her ex-husband with his Parkinson's). I just watched my own mom through an agonizing death (two types of stage 4 cancer). It's rough. It's brutal. Maybe to VW, a shorter life with a quick end may be immensely more appealing. (Also, how good are long-term healthcare options in her town if she had stayed on the straight and narrow? A bad illness can quickly bankrupt someone even with insurance. I think she has thought about all this a long time and if she has that nurturing/mothering instinct some have mentioned, she's probably seen some loved ones and friends go through bad medical times, with all the ensuing potential problems -- insurance problems, treatments that harm as well as treat, loss of income, loss of mobility, painkiller addiction, etc. -- and perhaps decided she would not go out that way herself.)
I had to laugh because I thought about Misery pretty early on in this case. If she chopped off his feet, he'd be shorter and maybe less noticeable.
Yes, that's kind of a morbid joke on my part. Lol and MOO.

Great post. Very likely, imo.
I think she's smart and clever. I think she thought about this a long time and put her experience, observation, and knowledge to use. So far, they have been successful.
MOO.