In "Beyond the Stump," how does Sarah spend much of her time?

Much of Sarah's time is spent sitting in her armchair staring at Gretel. Sarah has a bad case of eczema on her hands, and she scratches it with her teeth. When Gretel tries to make Sarah comfortable, Sarah refuses the tea she brings. She barely eats or drinks. She swats Gretel away when she tries to bring pillows or make her comfortable in some other way.