An already difficult stretch for Jalisha Pegues appeared to be taking another bad turn during a routine 3 1/2 -hour dialysis treatment at Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center.
Her blood pressure had dropped to the point that doctors considered keeping the 14-year-old girl from St. Louis for observation. This is after she had spent three of the previous four nights at the hospital.
John Jones knew his granddaughter, who suffers from end stage renal disease, needed to go home and wake up in her own bed. If not, one of the biggest days of her life would be in jeopardy. "She's been doing good," he said. "All but this week."
With the help of her medication and, perhaps, some wishful thinking, Jalisha's blood pressure leveled off. She spent Wednesday night at home, thinking she only needed to get through one more doctor's appointment to show off her newly styled hair and fresh manicure at her eighth-grade graduation today.
But that appointment was a guise for an adventure that started at Cardinal Glennon, took to the air over St. Louis and led to a Make-A-Wish dream come true.
Jalisha's wish of being a police officer for a day started with a helicopter ride to the St. Louis County police academy and ended with her solving the mysterious "disappearance" of three mascots -- the Cardinals' Fredbird, the Rams' Rampage and the Blues' Louie.
"I was happy," she said after eight exhausting hours that included stops at the Edward Jones Dome, Scottrade Center, Ballpark Village and Busch Stadium. "I didn't know. I was surprised that it happened."
Jalisha awoke with the intent of throwing on her school uniform for the trip to the hospital. But her grandfather found a picture and asked her to wear the outfit she had in the photo.
No questions asked, she dressed in a hot-pink print blouse and beige skirt, with gold earrings and lip gloss for added sparkle.
When the car pulled into the parking lot at Cardinal Glennon, she took note of numerous police cars. Upon seeing a police helicopter circling overhead she proclaimed, "That's for me."
Jones could keep the secret for only a few more minutes. Taking the path she follows for her three dialysis treatments a week, Jalisha was greeted by a wall of cameras and Make-A-Wish employees and volunteers.
She countered with the calm, steady demeanor she carried throughout the day, her eyes wide but her smile ever fleeting. She accepted the day's itinerary as presented by St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar.
But before boarding the helicopter, she abruptly turned to the following throng and blurted in her loudest voice of the day, "Guess what, everybody? I'm graduating tomorrow."
It's been a long road for Jalisha, who was born with a kidney disorder. She underwent a transplant in 2006, but that kidney failed last year, leaving her with the dialysis routine, which involves 6 a.m. appointments to avoid missing too much class work.
"She's an interesting mix of outgoing and shy," said Cardinal Glennon social worker Sherry Mitchler. "It's been kind of rough on her the last year. Any time a kidney fails it's a sense of loss and discouragement. So this (wish) came along at a great time."
Jalisha was accompanied Thursday by an emergency medical technician. She is limited to a daily intake of 1,200 milliliters -- about 40 ounces -- of liquid, which includes items such as soup, Jell-O and ice cream. Her diet also comes under strict scrutiny.
Considering the events of the previous week, she held up well under a fairly hectic schedule on a hot day as she was followed for several hours by cameras that were incessantly in her face.
Her helicopter ride led to a barrage of activity at the police academy. She learned to spray mace and use a Taser gun. She helped evaluate recruits, even having some repeat tasks that she didn't think had been executed quite right. She donned gear and joined the tactical operations team in capturing a bad guy.
But the high point, Jalisha said, was learning to slap the handcuffs on a suspect after an arrest -- a skill she would need later in the day.
"Yeah, it was the handcuffs," she said. "I got to put them on a student that's going to become a police officer."
Thinking her day might be over, she received a call from the police dispatcher about a kidnapping in the city. She proceeded to the Dome in her new police garb, complete with handcuffs, and an employee revealed she had seen Rampage arguing with someone who looked suspicious.
She went to Scottrade, where about 50 employees gave her a standing ovation. She turned to her partner, Sgt. Dale Johnson, and mouthed, "I'm scared." So Johnson asked the questions, and the tips led to Ballpark Village and an interview on Fox Sports Midwest, where she announced, "I've got enough evidence to find the person."
Eventually she was directed to Busch Stadium, where a note allegedly written by the suspect revealed the culprit to be "squirrely."
Jalisha circled the stadium, searching in concession stands, offices and in the seats. When someone mentioned she was getting warm, she began running for the first time through the concourse.
Reaching Ford Plaza, she found the three mascots roped together and being held by none other than the Rally Squirrel. She promptly applied her new skills by cuffing the rodent before posing with him for photos.
"I was in shock," she said. "I thought it was a real person."
Upon pulling off the squirrel's head, it was revealed to be FSM's Jim Hayes, who had interviewed her an hour earlier. Her mission complete, Jalisha conducted interviews with a media swarm while her grandfather contemplated the day.
"She's been saying she wants to be a police officer," Jones said. "I hope she sticks with it. Being on dialysis, it's probably going to be a little hard."
Then his thoughts turned to Jalisha's graduation. He considered the dialysis appointment planned for this morning before the ceremony and hoped for the best.
"If the dialysis goes well, it will be fine. If not, it's back in the hospital again," he said. "Hopefully everything holds up and she'll be good."
Copyright 2014 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
