I had an aunt like that with illness, always had to have what you had, but obviously more severe, more life threatening. If one of us had a cold, she was suffering from pneumonia. I used to ask Mum to please tell her that Dad was having bother with his prostate ( he wasn't) just to hear what she would come up with then. 
Gillybob
I know exactly where you are coming from, MIL the same.
If you have an 'itis' she has an 'itis itis'. If you have a headache she has a brain tumour.
She has cried wolf so many times now that sadly if she is genuinely ill we tend to dismiss it.
They are funny though and at 99 years of age she certainly has had time to 'practice her art'
She is indeed a character MiniMouse I wish I was more articulate because I am sure she is a book waiting to be written !
Funny you should say that pompa but my grandma is dying to be registered blind ! She uses the hearing book service, (which I have to say is excellent) and I overheard her telling the lady who brings the CD's that she was totally blind. I just sit there and shake my head.
I have just spoken to her on the phone and asked if there is anything she particularly fancies for her tea today and she (very sarcastically) asked me if I have had a good holiday. I said "Grandma I have only missed one day, I saw you on Wednesday" "Oh" she said "well it feels like you have been away on holiday" 
This really made me lol, what a character Perhaps you could remind her of the boy who cried, 'Wolf!' 
She is fantastic and annoying in equal measures KatyK
It must be a symptom of getting really old AshTree my grandma couldn't see anyone having any illness or operation and she wants it for herself. She goes to a Warfarin clinic once a month (where she is treat like royalty) and boy does she lap it up. I've never known anyone enjoy a hospital appointment as much as she does.
What a lovely thing to still have your gran, and it sounds as if you get on so well with her - and get loads of fun out of your relationship too . I remember my MiL who always seemed to imitate the illnesses of anyone around her. We dared not mention anything wrong with us because next time we visited, sure enough, she'd be suffering from the same thing. And she'd swear black was white that she had no idea we'd had it the previous week .
Oh bless her! She sounds fantastic and you seem wonderful with her
Honestly my grandma really takes the biscuit. She is wonderful, I love her to bits but recently she is driving me up the wall.
At (almost) 99 she is doing fantastically well. She loves people telling her how amazing she is for her age but has kind of reverted back to childhood as she needs constant attention and praise.
She tells everyone she is "almost blind" (this is because my mum's next door neighbour is blind) but she can see well enough to watch quiz programs on TV and answer questions printed on screen. She also makes snide comments about what some celebrity or other looks like. "what on earth does that woman think she looks like"? Or "Bradley Walsh (her best boy) has had that same shirt on all week". She can count money out perfectly well (if she wants to) although has often given me pennies instead of pounds !
Then finding she wasn't getting enough attention for not being able to see she asks for hearing tests as she can no longer hear. Well I can tell you she could hear a whisper between me and the carer in the next room. She can even hear the bin opening when I throw the out of date food away and often shouts "What are you throwing away now"? "Do you think I have money to burn"?
Next realising that this wasn't getting enough attention either she has decided that she is unable to walk (at all). She has a zimmer with wheels and used to manage well with it in the house. My mum is wheelchair bound and I am sure (god forgive me for saying this) that grandma is jealous ! She insists on being pushed to and from the toilet in her wheelchair and yet last week I caught her standing washing dishes in the kitchen!
Finally now that she has been caught out for actually being able to walk I overheard her telling my husband (who she only sees once a month or so)....... wait for it.... that she can no longer talk.
WHAT? I was putting shopping away and my mouth fell open. I shot into the lounge and said "what on earth you talking about grandma"? If you can't bloody well talk, what are you doing now"?
"Oh" she said "well what I mean is..... I can't talk very well".
We had a laugh last night just thinking about today when I visit her. I will bend down to give her a hug and she will say.......
"Oh my god, Gilly I can no longer feel you".
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