can i have a couple bucks?

For the almost an entire year of my mother's life, my family and I have done everything for her. Scheduling her doctor visits, giving her her medications, handling her money, paying her bills, taking her shopping, on errands or pretty much driving her anywhere she needs or wants to go. When she was first diagnosed with dementia, she was still driving to do small errands by herself but twice in one week she came home, first not knowing where she puts her tax return money after cashing the check for it ( it was almost 3000 dollars we thought she might've lost, we had found it hidden in her room three days later) and second, she had lost her purse, telling me she did not even remember taking it with her or where she might have left it. Needless to say, driving by herself was not something we were willing to risk anymore.  
 My brother and I became her full time chauffeurs, which she did not seem to mind at all and neither did we after we got a good system in place with it. When she wants or needs something she tells us and we go. All of my personal errands and driving are usually done with my mom. I cannot complain, its great having the company. If my brother or I are going to a friend's house or work, we just check with one another and our schedules to be sure someone will always be with mom, to keep an eye on her, to help her if she needs it, give her meds. Make sure she eats well etc.  So we have been worry free, knowing if she is with us 24/7 no purses or money will be lost and more importantly that she is always safe and well taken care of. And she is been happy with it all or so i thought until she came to me with this conversation:

mom: " hey can i have a couple bucks?"

me: (surprised) " for what mama?"

mom: ( mad) " for whatever i want." 

And then she storms off, leaving me completely confused.  That same day we had just gone shopping. We had tons of food in the house she got some new things she wanted from target, it was a good day. Even though I handle all her money, she gets whatever she wants when she wants it even if she doesn't have the money for it i will gladly buy it because I am excited to see her take interest in things. I realize though that all this can be taxing on her independence but i thought she was happy. So i go to her room and ask her how much money she wants. She tells me she doesn't know she is just doesn't feel like she gets to do anything on her own. I told her i understood and explained that she had lost her licence with her purse so we started driving her everywhere and reminded her of the money she almost lost ( to which she replied, "you found it though right?") and that because of her memory trouble and confusion we are afraid to let her go out by herself or hold onto money. she understood and we agreed to start working towards her remembering those things better. Like where her phone or keys are or how much money she has on her. I told her it will take time but that i think we can build up to it. And she was happy  and i was happy to see her take interest in her own life again, even if it was a fleeting moment that her dementia may take back.  I can only remind her again and again that we are working towards her independence and that it will take so much patience from both of us but it doesn't hurt to try and if it fails, well at least we still get to hang out and do everything together all the time.