I'm PJ O'Connell for Penn State Public Broadcasting.

"We met her by chance."

You'll hear that bit of narration again in a few minutes as we introduce the principal character in this edition of the Pennsylvania Parade.

Chance has often played an important part in the production of the documentaries that make up this series.

A clergyman experiencing a personal and professional crisis, a businessman caught up in the joys of managing, a politician unafraid to talk openly about his strategies and actions.

Meeting these important documentary characters is, to use a well-worn expression, sometimes more luck than brains.

An alert producer can sometimes recognize an important opportunity, a chance to participate in another person's life at a critical moment.

It may take no more than a walk down an ordinary hallway.

The producers from Penn State Public Broadcasting took such a walk, recognized an opportunity, and took a chance on Elsie Wurster, the subject of this documentary.

Elsie's life was vastly more difficult than we had first realized.

But as producers, we were lucky to be a part of it.

And as our audience, now you are a part of it as well.

We were worried over the weekend.

My husband said she'd get back here first thing this morning, and the first thing I got here, I had all kind of problems.

But they told-- I called back to see how you were.

I'm better than I was.

Yeah, you look better.

Maybe you can come up this week.

Oh, I hope I can.

I look terrible.

Well, listen-- Those pictures are from television.

We'll play it-- we'll play-- [sighs] Those men.

Oh, really?

They're going to take pictures now.

I bet they're taking mine now.

I don't want mine taken till I get my hair-- No, but you're a sweetheart.

[chuckles] No.

This is the best thing of all.

You're better, and you're here yet.

I'll be back-- PJ O'CONNELL: We met her by chance at the end of a hallway in a nursing home in North Central Pennsylvania.

She was what most of us hope never to be-- old and sick.

But she had good treatment, good friends, and great courage.

We made a film about her, and in the process, we became her friends.

And at the end of that friendship, she died.

Now you are witness to "The Final, Proud Days of Elsie Wurster."

ELSIE WURSTER: That's the hairdresser.

And she's certainly nice.

One day, she gave me my-- done my hair in bed.

I couldn't go over to have it done.

I've been sick.

I have a heart trouble.

I didn't know it was-- boy, I just died twice, but I pulled through.

[chuckles] [indistinct speech on tv] Want a nurse to help you?

Well, I don't think he actually could hear me.

Yeah, but they ain't around.

ELSIE WURSTER: Well, sit down.

Huh?

ELSIE WURSTER: Sit down!

[laughs] You make a damn good boss.

ELSIE WURSTER: If he [inaudible], you'll find out.

This girl does nothing but walk.

She walks on the front of her feet, the ball of her foot.

Where are you going, Josephine?

She wants you.

ELSIE WURSTER: And she worked in the Pennsylvania Railroad Office for 52 years.

You better sit down till they come after you.

I can't wait all day.

Well, you haven't been waiting too long.

You're on the ball some of these times.

TINA: Why don't you put a light on, honey?

You can't see in the dark.

ELSIE WURSTER: Hey, Tina.

TINA: What's the matter, Elsie?

ELSIE WURSTER: Don't forget me.

Yeah.

I'm going to put you in right now, honey.

Yeah.

Now wait, honey.

Goodbye.

PRODUCER: Bye.

OK. No, I go in the front way.

Goodness, they don't even have Jamie out.

We'll have to take her out, and Mrs. [?

stacey.

?]

NURSE: All right?

ELSIE WURSTER: Yeah.

Here's where we eat.

See, I have arthritis in my fingers.

I'd get on the therapy this afternoon.

[inaudible] Yeah, I have a hard time.

NURSE: Who's ringing?

Are you ringing, Elsie?

ELSIE WURSTER: I am.

[?

want you ?]

to cut my meat.

I can't eat.

Cut this.

I'll do it.

Here's your ice water.

[?

now, ?]

my pill, then.

Mm-hmm.

Oh, are you mashing them up again?

I just thought it would help you, Elsie.

Ready?

ELSIE WURSTER: Yeah.

I hate pills [inaudible].

But I'll take them just the same.

[?

24th ?]

pill today, that was in 180-- 168 in one week, and 672, one month.

Oh, I got-- I was awful sick.

That didn't make me any better.

See that oxygen tank?

That's why they have it here.

I had a heart attack.

The nurse came by, and she's looking at me.

She said, why?

Elsie, what's wrong with you?

You're so white.

I didn't know there was anything wrong with me.

She said, I'm going to get you a cookie to eat.

So she got me a cookie, and I ate it.

And next thing I knew, they had me up here in this bed, giving me oxygen.

I was just tired, tired out.

But this time, I wasn't tired out.

I had a real fell.

I thought I heard the-- it's a phlegm.

Mucus that forms in your throat, and I thought I could hear the-- [chuckles] I thought it was death rattle.

I could hear that.

They took that little instrument there and put that tube down in my throat and cleaned it out.

It was all right.

Well, they got all right.

[SOLEMN MUSIC PLAYING, INDISTINCT SPEECH ON TV] Five times, I tried to learn to walk.

And one time, I was going real good.

I could go around with a walker down the therapy room twice the round.

Well, then I got sick, and that put me back.

Then I couldn't walk again.

So those 26 weeks, I didn't walk.

I hope they'll let me start next week.

I'm going to try it again.

You're ready [inaudible]?

OK. That's real hot paraffin.

Just hold it there a second.

All right.

Now you're set to fight.

All right.

NURSE: Can pick on anybody you want.

All right.

NURSE: All right.

I don't see anybody to pick here.

NURSE: All done.

ELSIE WURSTER: There she goes.

I could walk like that, and I could walk better than that, couldn't I, Ruth?

Then I got sick, and I had to give it up.

But I'm trying again [inaudible].

And this hand over, you can put back.

You've been working them?

Elsie, have you been exercising them?

Yes, every day.

Good.

Doing pretty good, isn't it?

Nice and limber.

Relax.

Ooh.

Make a fist.

Make me a good fist, Elsie.

Huh?

Make me a good fist.

All right.

Oh, I can't.

Let's try it on.

It's awful when you get old.

You can't walk.

Oh, I used to go like the Dickens with my cane.

In four years, I [?

was-- ?]

This has been the worst thing that I've had, though, this heart condition.

They won't let me get out of bed then to try to even come down here on a wheelchair.

Well, we don't go till our time's up, anyway.

Mrs. Wurster has been with us for about a year.

She came to us in November last year after being hospitalized for a hip fracture.

She had formerly been a resident in our Intermediate Care unit, where she was taking care of herself and her daily activities and up and around.

She came here to be rehabilitated, hoping that when she could walk again, she could go back to her friends in the Intermediate unit.

Since then, she's developed a congestive heart failure and has had several episodes, which have made her weaker and required more care.

This past summer, she's had two episodes and, recently, another one.

She's a delightful patient to take care of.

She formerly was a nurse and delights in counting all her pills that she takes because she has arthritis, congestive heart failure, and she is a diabetic on insulin injections.

But she's always been tolerant of those around her.

I like to think it's her nursing background, to some extent, and her Christian attitude.

She's been very patient with the staff and other patients and residents, has a good sense of humor.

MAN (ON TV): I don't want you to leave me.

[dramatic music playing on tv] You're getting my picture sober.

[laughs] People don't know me sober, only when I'm sick.

And I'm sick.

I'm awful sick.

Did I tell you about our undertaker we had where I live?

His name is Knight.

We've known him for years.

And so the week when I thought I was going to die-- I had two heart attack-- I planned what I wanted, where they wanted to take me, right ship me up there, and I had the undertakers plan and everything.

And there was my boy and my girlfriend for 50 years and her husband, who was my nephew.

Well, I stood there, and I cried, and I cried.

I thought I'd never see him again!

I was so sick.

And then after, I got better.

He said, my nephew said-- he works at this undertaker place.

He said, well, Aunt Elsie, Knights were ready for you twice.

[laughs] Oh, we just laughed because I was better then.

If I wasn't so sick, then I could laugh about it.

Couldn't laugh about it a week before, but then I could.

NURSE 1: Do you want to eat, Elsie?

[mumbles] NURSE 1: Huh?

[mumbles] NURSE 1: Do you want to eat some [?

popeye?

?]

[mumbles] NURSE 1: Elsie, do you want to eat?

[inaudible] NURSE 1: Do you want your teeth?

Uh-huh.

NURSE 1: Here.

Can you put them in?

Here.

Can you put them in?

Try.

Open.

[?

gum ?]

in.

Bite down.

No, no, no, no.

Bite down, Elsie.

Bite down.

Open up.

[inaudible] [inaudible] NURSE 1: Elsie, you want to eat?

I don't want to eat.

Huh?

I don't want to eat.

Nothing?

What is it?

[?

popeye.

?]

Do you want it?

No, I don't.

Do you want it?

No.

Do you want some juice?

No.

Want some fruit?

Do you want a peach?

Hmm.

[inaudible] up.

NURSE 2: OK, Elsie, take a drink first, and we'll go one at a time.

Down?

Yeah.

Let me see.

Don't want to get too many in there.

Nope, they're still in there, Elsie.

All right.

Take another drink.

ELSIE WURSTER: [groans] [coughs] Down?

Down.

Now, [?

move ?]

[?

along ?]

[?

now.

?]

Let's try [?

some of the ?]

peach.

Here are some peach, Elsie.

We're going to have to crush them tonight, I think.

Well, I [?

am ?]

[?

through.

?]

OK, we won't crush them, then.

Wurster is very lethargic today.

She had a fasting blood sugar this morning.

And her appetite is poor.

She had to be fed both meals.

Her temperature was 100 rectally at both 12:00 and at 2:00.

She pulled a catheter out at 10:00 AM this morning with the bulb inflated.

So it will be out for 24 hours, and the girls tomorrow will put it in around 10:00 AM.

Can you sit up straight?

[inaudible] not unless the trach's on, I was good, just as anyone.

Here, Elsie.

ELSIE WURSTER: Am I eating breakfast?

Is this breakfast?

No, honey, it's supper.

ELSIE WURSTER: Supper?

Mm-hmm.

ELSIE WURSTER: Well, I might eat something, then.

Do you want some soup?

ELSIE WURSTER: No, no soup.

It's a supper.

NURSE: What would you like, Elsie?

My own Thanksgiving, I want an oyster stew.

NURSE: What?

I want oyster stew on Thanksgiving.

NURSE: Is that what you want?

Oyster stew?

You get that tomorrow.

[inaudible] [gurgling] Elsie, how about some more tea?

I want more tea.

Hmm?

I want more tea.

[inaudible] Do you want more?

[?

yeah, ?]

[?

but ?]

I do want more tea.

[regurgitates] You lie down, Elsie.

I'll get it.

You all right?

ELSIE WURSTER: Yes, I'm all right.

[?

i ?]

[?

mean, ?]

I'm all right now.

You look better.

ELSIE WURSTER: And I look so good?

Yeah, you look all right.

I didn't tell you this boy.

I have a nephew who works in an undertaker place.

NURSE: In an undertaker place?

Yeah.

NURSE: Mm-hmm.

And in the house [?

of undertaker, ?]

they have a viewing at night.

He works there.

And I'm so bad they come down here, and they look at me like, why?

Why?

So after, we got [?

better.

?]

I knew I fooled them.

How about that?

ELSIE WURSTER: Yes, I fooled them.

And I thought the next time I would see you two [?

fellows, ?]

I'd have my hair all-- I'm going to have a permanent.

Now, here we are, and well, I didn't get my hair done.

My hair looks really decent when it's done, but not otherwise.

You have a package!

ELSIE WURSTER: [?

maybe ?]

I have [inaudible].

Oh, it's a Christmas package.

We can't open it today.

Look.

Oh, I think I could.

Could I?

Well, let's see if it has a stamp on it, "Don't open till Christmas."

ELSIE WURSTER: Yes.

Those are from my great-grandchildren.

Oh, yeah.

Well, [inaudible].

NURSE: "Love, Fred, [?

mitch, ?]

Carolyn, Jan, and the new baby."

Oh, I didn't know that.

NURSE: You have a new baby up there?

Well, they must have just got one.

NURSE: Maybe they didn't have it yet because it doesn't have a name.

Oh.

NURSE: All right, pull the box out.

It's a nightgown.

But I want to see it.

I now got two.

NURSE: All right.

I have three great-grandchildren.

NURSE: Three?

And they're all wonderful to me.

NURSE: Oh, it's your color!

[inaudible] Oh, look.

Isn't that beautiful?

Yeah, that's pretty.

That's the color you like.

[inaudible] It has sleeves.

Huh?

I'm plain.

I've lost [?

three ?]

[?

nights ?]

since I've been here.

I can believe you.

Shall we take it down and put your name on it?

Yeah.

Keep track of it that way.

Hmm, put it on real large, too.

Large?

As I don't mind staying at home, I got two at home now, two real pretty balloons.

NURSE: OK.

Tomorrow or Friday morning, you have an appointment with Dr. Amsler over at the hospital.

Who?

NURSE: Dr. Amsler.

He's an orthopedic surgeon.

Did you see him before?

Never saw him before.

NURSE: Well, he's the orthopedic clinic man for Friday.

They're not going to send me over there, are they?

We'll send Deb along with you.

We'll send someone with you.

Yes, but I don't want to go tomorrow.

I've been in this bed for one year and two weeks.

NURSE: Well, it's time for change of scenery, then, isn't it?

Mrs. Wurster has had a fairly good day.

She's very weak, but her blood pressure was 160 over 62.

Pulse, 80.

I did a fasting blood sugar on her this morning.

Her last one was 300 and something.

She was out of bed this afternoon, and she was visiting around.

She was up to the desk.

And she needed to be fed today.

She said tomorrow, she's going to feed herself.

You need help to be fed?

I don't want to get my nightie all dirty again.

No, we'll get you a bib.

Maybe I don't want to.

They're supposed to feed me, anyway.

That's what I've been telling.

I never was fed before in my life.

83 years old, and here, I have to be fed.

I still kind of think maybe I'm going to make it, though.

I don't know.

Well, I can't [?

know ?]

[?

if ?]

you like to see people dunk [?

or ?]

[?

not.

?]

I like to dunk.

[laughs] I like to dunk.

You're not worried, Elsie, are you?

No.

OK, don't you worry about it.

Well, I'm worried, but I don't want them to keep me over there.

No, Elsie, they aren't going to keep you.

You'll be back, OK?

ELSIE WURSTER: [inaudible] Now, you were a nurse.

You know, sometimes, you have to go back for several checkups.

Yes, I know that.

And she's not a real young girl.

She's not?

No?

No.

Well.

She was afraid.

She didn't want some young girl.

I didn't want some of these little snips, 15 years old.

No, I think she's as old as we are.

Oh.

NURSE: Well, how old are we?

[laughter] All right, Elsie, here we go.

HELP 1: Oop, oop, oop.

[inaudible] up there.

Yeah.

[groaning] OK. [inaudible] You want your other pillow?

Yeah, I want to look around.

NURSE: OK. HELP 2: Put your arm in the seat.

NURSE: This is Marty.

You remember Marty, don't you?

How're you doing, Elsie?

Well, for goodness' sake, are you-- MARTY: I guess, too, for goodness' sake.

Well, are you the one that's going with me?

MARTY: Yeah.

[inaudible] Put your head up there, Elsie, [inaudible] be a little cool [inaudible].

I have the horse all saddled, and we're going.

[engine whirring] [inaudible]?

HELP 2: Excuse me?

[?

this is ?]

a new one, is it?

Yeah, this is one of the new ones.

Yeah.

[inaudible] ELSIE WURSTER: Marty, they're not going to leave me over there, are they?

MARTY: No, I'm staying with you.

We're going to stay over and have a party.

Can you handle yourself reasonably well now, or are you having any particular-- Can't handle myself at all.

I can't even turn myself from-- DR. AMSLER: OK. --side to side.

We'll take some X-rays on your hip and knee and see if there's something that can be done to help you get moving a little better, OK?

Yes, I can't move.

I can't.

I understand.

Well, let's check this hip while she's here and if something can be done.

NURSE: Now, keep your hands up there.

DR. AMSLER: Now, the hip fracture is very well healed.

And you dare use that quite normally, OK?

Now, the knee joint is another problem.

So keep continuing the parallel bar program.

We'll check that knee again in about six months, OK?

All right.

I walked [?

just ?]

[?

fast ?]

[?

as ?]

could be with a cane.

DR. AMSLER: OK Great.

Before [inaudible] hooked me up.

DR. AMSLER: OK, well, she'll help you with the walker.

And then, as you gain strength and balance, you perhaps can use a walker.

Or she'll use the parallel bars in the gym.

And then perhaps you can use the walker by yourself later on.

I'm tied to the bars [?

three ?]

[?

times.

?]

DR. AMSLER: OK. Good to see you.

We'll see you in six months, OK?

All right.

She has with parallel bars.

"And progress to the walker as a-- "Condition."

"--condition [?

if ?]

patient permits.

Return in six months."

Oh, isn't that wonderful?

She's excited.

[chuckles] That's great.

OK, you know this is about the fourth time that she's been rehabilitated?

Oh, we came in to see you.

And you were sleeping so sound, so we went over to another place.

ELSIE WURSTER: Well, I don't want to [inaudible].

We know you were tired.

ELSIE WURSTER: If I lay down, then I can't sleep at night.

VISITOR 1: I know.

They're gone.

I can't eat.

I can't feed myself.

VISITOR 1: I know, and I feel sorry.

But I did take that treatment.

[inaudible] ELSIE WURSTER: Yes, and now I can do this, too.

Can raise yourself up yourself.

That's good.

I sit up like this about a half of the night.

I don't sleep at night, sleep too much in the daytime.

Well, you might as well sleep.

You don't do anything else.

I went [?

out ?]

[?

with ?]

this bar three times.

You did what?

Went [?

out ?]

[?

with ?]

this bar.

You went [?

out ?]

with a bar three times?

ELSIE WURSTER: Yeah.

I know you did one.

I'd sit up like that, and I think I got sleepy.

VISITOR 1: I think you must have.

You just went up.

Yeah.

VISITOR 1: Instead of laying back, you went to the side.

And my goodness' sake, I get too tired [?

lying, ?]

so every once in a while, I sit up.

[inaudible], so you come and see me, anyway.

Yes, we will try-- [interposing voices] ELSIE WURSTER: --once a week.

VISITOR 1: And I'll say I hope you have a good night.

Yes, I will.

VISITOR 1: I'm glad to see you look a little better than before.

I was thinking about it this morning.

It was nearly time-- VISITOR 1: Well, I'll tell you, we had [?

to pin ?]

on the weather.

And yesterday was the [?

auxiliary ?]

of the [?

home ?]

had a Christmas party over there, and we all had to stay for that.

And then if it's windy-- one day, it was beautiful.

But it was too windy.

I couldn't walk out there.

No, [inaudible].

VISITOR 1: When it's nice, we come out when it [inaudible].

We think about you all the time.

Well, I'm glad to see you.

Come again.

VISITOR 1: Yes, we will.

All right.

That girl-- just think 90 years old walking over here the day she was 90 years old.

[inaudible] Not for anyone [inaudible].

The other one, I don't know.

She's in her 80s.

But some of them live to be old here.

I [?

guess ?]

[?

they ?]

want to live [?

with ?]

that.

Mrs. Wurster, at the present time, is under what we call supportive care.

And that's care as needed because of her deteriorating condition.

22.

We're observing for overexertion.

We have her on supportive care for peaceful and dignified death.

This is a difficult goal to write down, but one that is very worthwhile to achieve.

She is a diabetic, so we observe her diet.

ELSIE WURSTER: I said, this time, I think I'm going to die.

She says, well, we're all going to die.

She says then, are you afraid to die?

Well, I said no!

And then I said to her the next day-- I called her, and I said, why did you ask me if I was afraid to die?

Well, she said that's a natural thing to ask.

She said, you asked me if I-- thought you were.

She said, we all are.

[?

but ?]

she told the truth.

We know we all are.

[clears throat] But anyway.

NURSE: Did you go Christmas shopping?

I'm not going Christmas shopping.

NURSE: Up here in the little store.

Oh, I need to go up there one day.

I'm not buying anything.

NURSE: You're not going to buy anything for anybody?

No, only-- yes, my son and his wife and little boy.

NURSE: I thought so, right.

Did you do your shopping?

ELSIE WURSTER: Four great-grandchildren, great-grandchildren.

Now, what did you want to tell me?

They said you wanted to see me.

ELSIE WURSTER: Well, I want to tell you that I don't like those pills all mashed up, and they make me sick.

Do you think you can swallow them whole again?

ELSIE WURSTER: Yes.

Well, let's try it, OK?

And before I got the sixth fell, my arthritis didn't hurt my legs then, didn't pain me.

Now they do.

Now they do.

Well, they did hurt before.

You've forgotten that, haven't you?

I must have forgotten it because-- Because you don't remember, huh?

No, I don't remember.

OK, tell you what, we'll try your pills whole next time, all right?

Yeah.

Oh, [inaudible].

I did that while you were sick.

I never like the acid.

If you feel good enough to complain, then you're good enough to try them, OK?

Yeah.

NURSE: OK, I'll see.

Will you go to therapy now?

Well, he told me he may be able to make me walk if I stayed here six months.

[laughs sarcastically, weakly] NURSE: We'll make you walk.

Hey, Luz, are we going to walk her down to the end and then bring the chair down like you said?

What are you doing?

Set a chair in back of you just in case you don't make it.

Oh.

LUZ: You're doing good, Elsie.

How are you doing now?

We're right with you.

Come on, dear.

LUZ: That's how she walks.

NURSE: Come up close, Elsie.

Yes.

NURSE: OK. You tired?

Are you tired?

[?

can i ?]

[?

lie?

?]

Are you tired, Elsie?

No.

Well, good.

I don't want you to tire.

Come up close.

[inaudible] Uh-huh.

That was a good fit.

That was good.

Four steps.

Four?

That looked to me like about 8 or 10.

You can't count, Elsie.

Well, I didn't think it was.

NURSE: I thought you were real good.

He didn't see you the first day?

No, I guess he didn't see me, I suppose.

Thank heaven.

[chuckles] I looked kind of white, [?

didn't ?]

[?

i?

?]

You looked kind of white, we had to carry you back.

[chuckles] Mary, she said, because Mary-- She knows Mary [?

fabuland.

?]

Don't you?

Yeah, but Mary wasn't here, Tina.

Well, they're supposed to feed her.

[inaudible].

Yes, it's Charlotte.

Excuse me.

Hey.

TINA: Why, honey?

Are you going to stay here and feed me?

I guess I could.

You got to eat, don't you?

ELSIE WURSTER: Yeah.

Oh, Elsie, this is cold.

This ain't going to be any good for you.

Do you like to taste it?

Get your [inaudible].

Yeah, well, I'm going to be dead [inaudible].

NURSE: Oh, come on now, Elsie, let's not talk that way.

You look at it on the good side, Elsie.

Well, maybe I am looking [?

on the good.

?]

I've been dead three times, all right, here?

Now, Elsie.

Hey, Deb, do you want to feed her, and I'll go out and do something out there?

I've got lunch to eat.

DEB: No, in a while, got to go out and get that stuff done.

What stuff?

ELSIE WURSTER: [inaudible] straw here.

I think she fed herself dinner, though, [inaudible].

DEB: I don't know.

I'm going to go get them out, OK?

Elsie, you can't feed yourself, can you, honey?

ELSIE WURSTER: No, I can't.

Well, we're [?

all ?]

children [?

in the ?]

house.

[chuckles] TINA: She's very pleasant, isn't she?

Want you do another bite?

ELSIE WURSTER: Not till I got this thing down.

Maybe you want a drink.

Do you, Elsie?

Hmm?

ELSIE WURSTER: No.

No?

ELSIE WURSTER: [inaudible] TINA: Louise is leaving, huh?

Yeah.

[inaudible] Is your mouth empty?

[groans] [inaudible] TINA: She didn't like her pills mashed.

Did she tell you that?

Yes, I know.

My hands [?

missed ?]

[?

its ?]

cane yesterday.

If I could have them over.

She says yes, but they must have forgotten it.

Elsie, here's a little bit more yet, and then you're finished with it.

NURSE 1: Well, I could sleep now, [inaudible].

Mm-hmm.

OK?

I'm living on pill.

[laughs] Living on pills.

Here is a person-- [?

isn't ?]

that awful?

[?

i ?]

[?

have ?]

taken some 672.

TINA: Are you almost done eating, honey?

Hmm?

I went back to feed her because she thought-- she said yesterday at noon, they had to feed her again.

Therefore, I should start to feed herself.

Yes.

And she said yesterday at noon, they had to feed her again.

So she was going back to help her.

All right.

We'll check her.

Her temperature normal?

Normal.

Thank you.

Mm-hmm.

NURSE: I know you don't sleep.

Is there a reason, do you think?

Yes.

NURSE: What's that?

You play cards all night?

No.

NURSE: No?

I can't.

I just lay on my back.

Because just laying on your back that you can't sleep.

Mm-hmm.

What can we do for you?

Well, I wish I knew why.

I just did not sit up about it.

If you have a good back rub, does that help?

A good doctor?

Good back rub.

[inaudible] You have a good doctor.

I don't know what it is.

I think that I'm going to lose my mind.

I think you'll find it again.

I did have a dream last night.

About what, Elsie?

About my husband.

He's been dead 18 years.

Did you enjoy your dream?

I kept telling, Dave!

Dave!

I didn't know where he was.

And then I finally [?

reached ?]

[?

him ?]

on this little cold pool.

Did he answer you?

No.

No.

No, I didn't hear him answering.

But I dreamed, dreamed, dreamed, but that wasn't it.

NURSE: You have a lot of thoughts swirling around in your head, don't you?

Yes, [inaudible].

NURSE: You have a lot to think about.

There's so much to think about.

I lay here and think all night.

[instrumental serene music] [?

on ?]

my land, I'm 83 years old.

I was born at home.

Yes.

They didn't have the hospitals then like we do now.

I'm the baby of the family.

We had altogether seven in our family, but our [inaudible] died with whooping cough.

That was years ago, and they didn't know much about things.

[instrumental serene music] [inaudible] Hospital, that's where I graduated from.

I was 21 when I went in.

I'm 83 now.

That's a long, long time.

Now, we had only 12 in our class, and there's five of them still living.

They must have been awful tough.

I did private nursing, public health nursing, which I liked very much.

And then the last I did, school nursing.

Oh, they were good to us.

I go and examine peoples' heads for life, call them all out one at a time [?

where ?]

they have to come in a room.

Then I have to look at their heads to examine them in a way.

We just would have to take their name, and then we dismiss them for three or four days to try to get rid of it.

Oh, that was a nice nursing.

[instrumental serene music] My husband, he was a miller with the old ground mill, the wooden mills.

Oh, they're pretty.

They're old-fashioned mills.

That's pretty picture.

[instrumental serene music] I only had one child.

I had stepchildren but only one child.

And they're all scattered around in New York and Colorado Springs.

My husband died just two days before Christmas.

That's 18 years ago, though.

But that's an awful time of year for anyone to die.

My husband was buried the day after Christmas.

That was a bad-- no, it was never the same.

Oh, I had five sisters and two brothers.

I was the baby of the family.

They're all gone but me.

I'm the only person left.

Hi!

You look brighter today.

Where's her chart?

Oh, do you have-- yeah.

Thank you.

The day she came back, we took her up there and stood her at the bar.

She took one step and, the next day, three steps.

But I couldn't move up, though.

We don't want to push her too fast.

But we want you to specify exactly.

We don't want to overdo her physical strength or heart and everything else with this.

But you read what Dr. Amsler wants.

DOCTOR: Well, he wants her to gradually be emulated with a walker.

Is she on just the parallel bars, then?

NURSE: She's on the parallel bars now.

I think the most she went was just three or four steps.

And then she had this sixth fell Saturday, so we've been holding it.

Do you feel we can start it again?

DOCTOR: See if you can keep her going till she can get to the end of the parallel bars, and then we'll re-evaluate her.

Stand up real tall.

That's it, girl.

Just do it.

ELSIE WURSTER: [inaudible] Mm-hmm.

No, no, don't do that.

NURSE 1: Pull your steps.

Bring it back.

ELSIE WURSTER: What's wrong?

NURSE 2: Hmm?

What's wrong with me?

Your foot's sliding out.

NURSE 2: She was taking steps herself.

You're not supposed to walk, Elsie.

We just want you to stand up, OK?

I walked the other day, didn't I?

NURSE 1: I know.

You did real well.

Couldn't I do real well again?

We don't want you to.

We're afraid you'll get sick again.

We just want to stand you to build up your strength.

Will I?

Well, stand again, OK, after you rest a little bit?

Yeah.

All right.

I nearly went twice that time.

OK, ready to stand again?

NURSE 1: Let's stand up.

And don't take any steps.

Try to get your foot back here.

OK, up we go.

Try to straighten your back and stand tall.

[inaudible] NURSE 1: Hold your head up.

NURSE 2: That's good.

Head up, shoulders back.

Good.

OK. [?

if i ?]

[?

can ?]

stand, [?

then i'll ?]

walk.

NURSE 1: Mm-hmm.

[chuckles] We'll walk tomorrow, all right?

Yes.

OK. Let's pull it back.

Well, I just [inaudible] whatever you [?

said ?]

[?

here ?]

because I want to get out of this.

You have to do a little at a time.

Yes, I think I can do a little at a time till Christmas.

Well, we'll see if we can't walk before Christmas.

Oh.

All right?

That'll be your Christmas present.

That'll be the best I'll never have.

I wondered if I could get my hair done.

You think I could?

[inaudible] Are you sure you're not too tired, Elsie?

Well, I-- [clears throat] You're just very determined to get this hair done, aren't you?

Well, yes, I want it done because I want my great-grandchildren to see-- All right.

--their old grandmother.

[laughs] When are they coming?

Don't want to show it to them until Christmas.

Oh, OK.

When is Christmas time?

Next week.

Next week.

Yes, but they may not get through the [inaudible].

Oh, for your picture.

Oh, I understand.

These fellas are bribing you, aren't they?

No.

[laughs] like them to-- You want a special picture for your great grandchildren, and your hair has to be fixed up for that, right?

Let's see, I had to take care at that time, or I couldn't get your perm in for Christmas.

Could be a party tomorrow.

The Auxiliary women always come and give a party for the residents here.

You see, she's so afraid she was going somewhere where they wouldn't take care of her.

And I could understand how she'd feel.

Nobody likes change, no matter how old or young we are.

[air blowing] Hey, how about the guy that's in the hospital?

Do you know?

He lived at [?

gamble ?]

House.

What's his name?

Who?

He's in Intensive Care.

So I have to go right to bed.

Well, what do you want to do, dance or something like that?

[laughing] I mean, you've been up all day.

Can you pick it up?

Hold your head up.

Let me hold it.

Now, go a little higher.

[inaudible] bangs, huh?

Mm-hmm.

What do you think?

Oh, I guess that's all right for an old lady.

Why?

I think you look pretty good.

Mrs. Wurster is Dr. [?

steckles.

?]

And I know this lady.

I saw her an evening when she had her last-- well, she has just terrible congestive heart failure.

She goes into pulmonary edema quite frequently.

She is, I don't believe, ambulatory at all anymore.

And she almost-- NURSE: Bed to chair.

She goes into the chair, but she's almost totally bedfast.

And she's diabetic.

Blood sugar is in the range of 300s.

I think she's skilled-covered.

I know the-- And her insulin was increased last Saturday because her sugars have been-- Oh, shoot.

--shooting way up.

She's skilled care, I'm sure.

But the amazing thing, she can tolerate some things now.

Dr. Amsler wants her to have physical therapy, walking at the parallel bars so she can take one or two steps.

And she even tolerated having a permanent the other day.

That's amazing.

I know you would think that before you ever saw me that I was the slowest talker.

But I'm not.

Boy, I can talk.

I can talk.

Well, I can tell you I could.

I didn't know how Jewish people talk.

[inaudible] healed.

[?

how?

?]

Then I got so much better.

STAFF (ON INTERCOM): Dr. [?

sammy, ?]

please dial 6.

The next day, I got better.

I believe I got better, everything's all good.

Haven't you improved in my talking?

[?

i've ?]

[?

been ?]

loud.

PRODUCER: Some days, pretty good.

And some days, pretty bad.

[laughs] Oh, well, if I [?

didn't ?]

just live till after Christmas, I'll be happy.

OK, we're right here with you.

[mutters] Mrs. Wurster, do you hurt anywhere?

NURSE 1: About 9:30, the morning before Christmas, she was able to go without oxygen.

She was semi-alert at that time and taking liquids in small amounts and not eating.

She appeared comfortable.

The family was in.

Unfortunately, she was not as responsive the day before Christmas.

NURSE 2: We'll stay very close to you, Mrs. Wurster.

When we see that someone has reached a critical situation, we usually assign someone to be with them.

If that's not possible, we have someone in and out most of the time so that they're aware that there is someone with them for comfort and assistance.

And we usually have Reverend Walker come and talk to people.

She enjoyed very much the picture.

She was awake to see the picture that you took of her up in physical therapy, walking on the bars.

She was greatly disappointed that she didn't get to walk again.

The other three times that she was down and out, she got back to the walker again.

This very last time, at least she had a picture of herself.

And this was the day before she died.

She told the girls Christmas morning that this is the day she was going to die.

And she was semiconscious through the morning and took some liquids at noon.

In the early afternoon, the girls took her back some gifts from under the tree, and she acknowledged them and wished a merry Christmas.

She had got a big smile on her face and thanked them for the gifts.

And then through the afternoon, she declined quite a bit.

At 4 o'clock, her son came in, and her condition was weakened.

He was with her until almost 5:00, and he sat with her.

And at 5:00, he left, and her condition became much weaker.

Her breathing ceased about 5:10.

Dr. [?

presang ?]

and Mrs. [?

knisely ?]

and Reverend Walker were in.

And the mortician was called.

At 7:00, her body was released to the funeral home.

It was not very pleasant.

As producers of this documentary, we became very involved in Elsie's final days.

The outcome we began to understand was never in doubt.

But to those of us unaccustomed to death, it was a difficult learning experience.

And we did learn about death and about dying, and about living, and about how all those pieces fit together into what we call a life.

It was not very pleasant, but it was wonderfully rewarding.

The privilege of being a reporter sometimes means joining in other people's lives, however briefly, in very special ways.

As you watch the Pennsylvania Parade pass by, you will notice that most programs are about people, not issues.

Now, there are programs about poverty and crime and child abuse.

But the producers at Penn State Public Broadcasting have been more interested in the family that is poor, the policeman and policewoman who fights the criminals, the protectors who rescue the children.

It is people who create our problems, and it is people who solve those problems.

And the opportunity to see and record these activities as they happen is one of the privileges of being a documentary producer.

We hope you will continue to enjoy the people who make up the Pennsylvania Parade.

For Penn State Public Broadcasting, I'm PJ O'Connell.

[theme music]