Barack Obama has encountered numerous challenging moments throughout his tenure as the former US President, but nothing could have prepared him for the emotional turmoil that ensued upon discovering his daughter Sashaās severeĀ medical diagnosisĀ shortly after her birth.
The former President and his wife, Michelle, are now proud parents of two grown, content, and healthy children,Ā MaliaĀ (25) andĀ SashaĀ (22). However, when Sasha was diagnosed withĀ meningitisĀ at just three months old, Barack and Michelleās world was turned upside down.
āPeople ask me what was the hardest time in my life ā they ask about the debt ceiling debate and various other challenges,ā Barack revealed while on the 2012 campaign trail. āSasha gotĀ meningitisĀ when she was three months old. I still remember going to the hospital together and witnessing her undergo aĀ spinal tap.ā
In a heartfelt interview with Rev. Al Sharpton, Michelle Obama also shared that this agonizing period is etched in her memory forever.
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āI will never forget. It was a day when, you know, one hour she was fine, she was normal, she was happy, doing everything I was used to her doing, and the next hour she was crying inconsolably. That just wasnāt like her. And I did everything.ā
Michelle continued, āI tried to feed her, tried to rock her, tried to burp her. Finally, I just thought, I need to call my pediatrician.ā
Upon hearing Sashaās symptoms, the medical personnel instructed them to rush to the emergency department immediately.
āAs it turned out, she hadĀ meningitis. And they had to perform aĀ spinal tap,ā Michelle recalled, noting the critical importance of timely medical intervention.
āShe turned out ā obviously, as this story ends, she is fine, sheās healthy, sheās a beautiful young lady. But if we hadnāt hadĀ insurance, and access to aĀ pediatrician, and a hospital where we didnāt have to worry about the cost of care⦠If we had waited overnight, if we had postponed acting, thereās no telling what the outcome wouldāve been.ā
ThisĀ heart-wrenching experienceĀ highlights the crucial role ofĀ access to healthcareĀ andĀ insuranceĀ in ensuring the well-being of children.